Agriculture: Compensation

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Welsh Assembly Government on policies in England and Wales on sharing the costs of outbreaks of animal diseases between the agricultural industry and the public purse.

Peter Hain: I have had discussions with ministerial colleagues at both the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Welsh Assembly Government over this issue to ensure Welsh farmers' interests are represented fully.
	Certain functions under the Animal Health Act 1981, including disease control functions were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales under the Transfer of Functions Order 2004 (SI 2004/3044).
	DEFRA have agreed to make payments on behalf of the National Assembly for Wales for animals killed and property seized due to foot and mouth disease. However, this does not extend to specific Welsh schemes to protect animal welfare or to support farmers during disease outbreaks. Such schemes remain the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Departments: Catering

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of each type of food served in his Department in the last 12 months was  (a) British and  (b) Welsh origin.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office does not have any in-house catering services, external caterers supply food at our events. While we ask them to supply food that is either British or Welsh in both origin and theme we do not gather information on the proportion. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Stipends

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what the average stipend is for  (a) male and  (b) female incumbents; and whether male and female incumbents' in the same diocese receive the same stipend.

Stuart Bell: The overall average stipend for male clergy of incumbent status is £20,952; the overall average for female clergy of incumbent status is £20,878.
	Each diocese sets its own policy on the application of national recommendations.

Labour Party: Elections

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what procedure the right hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire, South followed on appointment as Labour Party co-ordinator for the Scottish elections in May 2007, in relation to the Ministerial Code, with particular reference to sections  (a) 1.2(f),  (b) 7.3 and  (c) 7.4; what discussions were held with the Permanent Secretary of the Department on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: The right hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire, South was not appointed as Labour Party co-ordinator for the 2007 Scottish Elections. The campaign was run by the First Minister. No conflict of interest therefore arose and, accordingly, no discussions were held with the Head of the Scotland Office.

Departments: Public Expenditure

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in which financial years since 2001 his Department's outturn for its capital budget at the end of the year was less than planned at the beginning of the year; and what the  (a) value and  (b) reason for the underspend was in each case.

Paul Goggins: The following table illustrates the Northern Ireland Office's (NIO's) opening and final budget provisions for capital; capital outturn; capital underspends and reasons for the underspends for each financial year since 2001. These figures represent the NIO Department, its Agencies and Executive NDPBs.
	
		
			  Financial year  Opening provision (as per  P ublic  E xpenditure  O utturns White Paper)  (£ million)  Final provision (as per  P ublic  E xpenditure  O utturns White Paper)  (£ million)  Capital outturn  (£ million)  Actual capital underspend (£ million)  Reason for capital underspend 
			 2001-02 40 59 42 17 Slippages in police non-severance and criminal justice projects 
			 2002-03 60 69 53 16 Slippages in police non-severance capital projects 
			 2003-04 64 73 50 23 Slippages in policing and security, criminal justice and police non-severance capital projects 
			 2004-05 57 83 71 12 Slippages in police non-severance, PSNI, criminal justice and IT projects 
			 2005-06 66 65 55 10 Slippages in build of new Juvenile Justice Centre and new forensic science laboratory 
			 2006-07 72 85 (1)69 (1)16 Underspend with build of new Juvenile Justice centre and various others projects 
			 (1 )Provisional 
		
	
	The National Audit Office measures spending performance against plans by comparing outturns against final provision following Supplementary Estimates rather than against plans at the start of the year—as plans can change during the year for a number of reasons, such as machinery of government and classification changes. The definitive figures for final provision and provisional outturn are published each year in the "Public Expenditure Outturns White Paper". Changes to plans arising in-year are published in "Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses", as are differences between provisional and final outturns.

Departments: Marketing

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the total cost was of the establishment of the Government Equalities Office; and what the costs were of  (a) relocation and  (b) rebranding (i) signs, (ii) stationery and (iii) official publications.

Barbara Follett: The Government Equalities Office was formed by staff from existing teams based in the Department of Communities and Local Government. Budget estimates for the new office will be laid before Parliament in the normal manner and will be included in the winter supplementaries.
	No relocation costs have been incurred in respect to the new Government Equalities Office. An interim logo was produced. The cost for this was £1,300. This resulted in a logo available in several formats for print and online use, as well as in Welsh. Some minimal staff time has been used in adapting computer logos to print new letter heads and new compliment slips. There has been no additional publication or signage costs.

Departments: Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality on how many occasions she has visited each region in an official capacity in the last 12 months.

Barbara Follett: Since my appointment as Minister for Women and Equality in July 2007, my official visits have been as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 East of England 1 
			 North West 1 
			 West Midlands 1 
		
	
	In my capacity as Minister for the East of England, I have visited the east of England on five occasions.

Domestic Violence: Advisory Services

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many independent domestic violence advisers were employed in each year since 1997, broken down by region; what indicators the Government use to assess their effectiveness; and what assessment she has made of their performance based on those indicators.

Barbara Follett: Every one of the 64 Specialist Domestic Violence Courts provides support to victims via an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor service (comprising at least on IDVA). As there is a wide range of work patterns across the 64 areas, we do not have precise employment numbers; we prefer to focus on ensuring delivery of a service that holistically supports individuals who are victims of domestic violence. By autumn of this year, there were 130 Government-funded graduates or students on the accredited training for Independent Domestic Violence Advisers, with a further 75 Government-funded places in the spring 2008.
	In 2006-07 the Home Office provided £1.85 million funding to support Specialist Domestic Violence Courts including Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs). In 2007-08, the Ministry of Justice has secured £3 million to contribute towards the Independent Domestic Violence Advisors services supporting the existing 64 Specialist Domestic Violence Courts and for services outside these areas, with a commitment to ongoing funding.
	A review of the original Specialist Domestic Violence Courts, selected in 2005-06, (which will include the specific contribution of the Independent Domestic Violence Advisors) is being undertaken at the moment which will be disseminated in November. Part of this review will include a quantitative data analysis of all Specialist Domestic Violence Courts. The review will examine what success looks like for Specialist Domestic Violence Courts in terms of criminal justice and safety measures. Based on the findings of the review, local areas will be advised on how they can measure performance, but we do not plan to have any national performance indicators.
	In addition to Specialist Domestic Violence Courts, IDVAs are also integral to the success of the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences. These conferences are the cornerstone of our approach to the safety of victims of domestic violence through the agreement of safety plans for identified high risk victims. Early data from those areas which have been trained in Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference is promising with significant reductions in repeat victimisation, not least due to the work of Independent Domestic Violence Advisors who often carry out over 80 per cent. of the actions agreed at the conference.

North-East Derbyshire

Natascha Engel: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps are being taken to ensure that North East Derbyshire benefits from the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Tessa Jowell: A Nations and Regions Group (NRG) has been established to maximise the benefits from the Games across the UK.
	The Government have also set out five legacy promises for 2012 and will be publishing in the next few months a Legacy Action Plan outlining what national programmes we will deliver and how local people in every region can get involved.
	The East Midlands launched its 2012 strategy for consultation in March.

Departments: Public Participation

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many citizens' juries were arranged for  (a) his Department and  (b) his Department's agencies in each year since 1997; which organisations were commissioned to conduct each citizens' jury; and what the cost was of each;
	(2)  how many citizens' juries have been arranged by the Cabinet Office since June; which organisations were commissioned to conduct each citizens' jury; and what the estimated cost is of each exercise.

Edward Miliband: The Cabinet Office held a day long deliberative forum attended by the Leader of the House on 20 October 2007 on the draft legislative programme. This was delivered by IPSOS Mori, after a competitive exercise run by COI. The estimated cost is £52,575.
	Deliberative fora were also used as part of the Policy Review process. I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 9 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1259W.
	Data from 1997 is not readily available and would require a significant review of all engagement activities and analysis of the techniques used, extracting data at a disproportionate cost.

Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers

Richard Spring: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether Spencer Livermore holds a position remunerated from the public purse; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether Michael Jacobs holds a position remunerated from the public purse; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  whether Stewart Wood holds a position remunerated by the public purse; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  whether Gavin Kelly holds a position remunerated by the public purse; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  how much the chair of the Council of Economic Advisers is paid; whether Dan Corry holds a position remunerated by the public purse other than in relation to the Council of Economic Advisers; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a list of special advisers to Ministers.

Mark Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  for what reason the publishing of the annual list of special advisers was delayed;
	(2)  what the  (a) job title,  (b) salary and  (c) number of staff assigned to Joe Irvin is.
	(3)  what the name is of each special adviser in his Office.

Gordon Brown: A list of Special Advisers will be published in due course.

Departments: Public Expenditure

Mark Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister on what dates his Department breached its  (a) resource,  (b) near-cash,  (c) administration and  (d) capital budgets since 2001; what the total value of each breach was; and what the reason was for each breach.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Gillian Merron) today.

Departments: Public Participation

Theresa May: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many citizens' juries have been arranged by his Office since June 2007; which organisations were commissioned to conduct each citizens' jury; and what the estimated cost is of each exercise;
	(2)  how many citizens' juries were arranged for  (a) his Department and  (b) his Department's agencies in each year since 1997; which organisations were commissioned to conduct each citizens' jury; and what the cost was of each.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Edward Miliband) today.

Children's Sport

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress is being made in increasing children's participation in sport.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Through the joint DCSF and DCMS National School Sport Strategy the Government are revitalising PE and sport for young people.
	The 2006-07 School Sport Survey showed that 86 per cent. of pupils in maintained schools in England participate in at least two hours of high quality Physical Education and school sport each week, an increase of 6 percentage points on last year and, and exceeding the 2008 target of 85 per cent. a year early.
	Both Departments continue to work closely to develop the plans to offer children and young people, aged 5 to 16 years, five hours of sport a week and three hours for young people aged 16-19 years from April 2008.

British Waterways Board: Finance

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with  (a) the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and  (b) British Waterways on (i) the National Waterways Museum entry fees and (ii) the funding of the Waterways Trust and National Waterways Museum; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no discussions to date with either my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or British Waterways on these issues.
	My Department will however, be working closely with DEFRA on those elements of the recent Select Committee inquiry on British Waterways which have a bearing on the operations of the National Waterways Museums.

Departments: Correspondence

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance his Department follows on the maximum time taken to respond to hon. Members' correspondence; and what performance against that target was in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Cabinet Office publishes guidance for Departments on handling correspondence from Members of Parliament, Members of the House of Lords, MEPs, and Members of devolved Assemblies. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House and it is also available on the Cabinet Office Website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/upload/assets/www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/correspondence.pdf
	The Cabinet Office also publishes, on an annual basis, a report on Departments' and agencies performance on handling Members' and Peers' correspondence. This includes the target set by each department to reply to hon. Members, the number of letters received and the percentage of replies within target. The last report for 2006 was published by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office (Hilary Armstrong) on 28 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 101-04WS.
	DCMS takes replies to correspondence very seriously. For the period 1 January 2007 to 30 June 2007, 80.46 per cent. of MPs' and Peers' letters requiring a response were answered to target dates of 20 working days, although we answer more quickly than this wherever possible. In addition, 91 per cent. of our responses to members of the public (6,141 of 6,710 cases) were answered within 20 working days for the same time period.

Departments: Disabled

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which buildings occupied by his Department  (a) are and  (b) are not fully accessible to disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport occupies three buildings. Cockspur Street, Oceanic House and Queen's Yard. All three buildings are fully accessible to disabled people.

Departments: Public Expenditure

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what his Department breached its  (a) resource,  (b) near-cash,  (c) administration and  (d) capital budget since 2001; what the value of each breach was; and what the reason was for each breach.

Margaret Hodge: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not breached any of the budgets in question since 2001.

English Heritage: Greater London

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what projections were made of the number of staff English Heritage who would move to 1 Waterhouse Square, London.

Margaret Hodge: English Heritage planned for 71 members of staff to relocate to 1, Waterhouse Square, London by June 2006, and for this figure to increase to 245 by March 2007.
	By March 2007 254 staff were located in Waterhouse Square. Waterhouse Square is also being used for an interim period to support the phased relocation of staff to Swindon. This means that numbers will fluctuate as the project proceeds.

National Lottery: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on National Lottery tickets in London in the last year for which figures are available; what revenue for the National Lottery Distribution Fund such spending gave rise to; how much was distributed to good causes projects in London in the same period; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The national lottery operator, Camelot, do not collect ticket sales information on a constituency, district, county or regional basis, nor do they routinely collect ticket sales data based on postcodes. The most up-to-date sales data by postcode area is available in the Libraries of both Houses and provides information up to 2004. It is not, therefore possible to say how much was raised for good causes by lottery sales in London. However, we do have information on how much was awarded by lottery distributors to the region of London.
	2,258 grants with a total value of £115,464,000 have been awarded by lottery distributors in London, in the last complete financial year (2006-07). These figures are for grants that are recorded on the Department's lottery grants database as location specific. The database is searchable at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk and uses information supplied by the lottery distributors.

Travel Information

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tourist information centres there are; and how many there were in 1997.

Margaret Hodge: There are currently around 500 tourist information centres in England. Unfortunately, the data was not collected for 1997.

Video Games: Children

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what policies his Department implemented as a result of the recommendations made in  (a) the 2001 Home Office review of the effect of computer games on young children and  (b) the 2005 Stirling review of research on the impact of violent computer games on young people.

Margaret Hodge: Both of these reports found no conclusive evidence of a link between playing violent games and behaving violently in real life. Both reports confirmed therefore that the current regulatory regime is satisfactory. However, following concerns expressed by some people, we worked with the games industry on a package of measures designed to ensure that parents had sufficient knowledge about a game's contents so that they could make an informed decision when purchasing the game for their children. These measures included bigger classification symbols; advice explaining the type of content; strengthened guidance for retail staff; all games for adults to be classified by the British Board of Film Classification even if there is no statutory requirement to do so; and a website publicised by five million leaflets where parents can learn about the content of games and their classification.
	We are keen to ensure that children are not exposed to inappropriate materials so
	we keep these measures under review. Currently, Dr. Tanya Byron is leading an independent review which is looking at the risks to children from exposure to potentially harmful or inappropriate material on the internet and in video games.

Adoption: Babies

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether her Department provides financial incentives to local authorities to increase take-up of adoptions of babies under the age of six months.

John Healey: pursuant to the reply 17 July 2007, Official Report, c. 215-6W
	 : The correct information is as follows:
	The Department for Communities and Local Government and the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister before it has since 2000 provided a system of performance incentivisation for local authorities in England across a range of service areas. This system operated via the Local Public Service Agreements (LPSA), which have since been merged with Local Area Agreements (LAA). These agreements offered a reward grant to local authorities who could deliver outcomes over and above the level of performance Government would otherwise expect.
	64 local authorities chose to include in their LPSA or LAA a measure performance on adoption and/or stability of placements for looked-after children, though the targets would not refer specifically to babies under the age of six months. Reward would be payable to local authorities and their partners for achievement of these particular targets, and in a number of cases this has now been claimed. Details on each target have been made available in the Library of the House, though we do not have data on the age of the children adopted in local authority areas.

Council Tax: Eastern Region

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will list the counties in the East of England according to the level of council tax rises  (a) in each year since 1997,  (b) between 1997 and 2001,  (c) between 1997 and 2005,  (d) between 1997 and 2007 and  (e) between 2005 and 2007.

John Healey: Details of the percentage changes in council tax for counties in the East of England in  (a) each year since 1997-98,  (b) between 1997-98 and 2001-02,  (c) between 1997-98 and 2005-06,  (d) between 1997-98 and 2007-08 and  (e) between 2005-06 and 2007-08 are shown as follows.
	
		
			   Bedfordshire  Cambridgeshire  Essex  Hertfordshire  Norfolk  Suffolk 
			 1997-98 to 1998-99 4.0 10.2 14.9 12.2 15.7 10.0 
			 1998-99 to 1999-2000 9.0 9.9 7.2 9.8 9.8 8.4 
			 1999-2000 to 2000-01 4.9 8.5 8.3 6.5 6.2 7.3 
			 2000-01 to 2001-02 5.8 8.0 7.9 6.0 6.3 6.9 
			 2001-02 to 2002-03 9.9 9.3 9.8 9.5 9.8 11.9 
			 2002-03 to 2003-04 11.8 9.2 16.7 18.2 15.9 18.5 
			 2003-04 to 2004-05 -0.5 2.0 -0.5 5.3 5.8 3.8 
			 2004-05 to 2005-06 4.9 4.0 2.9 4.9 2.9 2.5 
			 2005-06 to 2006-07 4.9 5.0 4.6 5.0 5.0 4.5 
			 2006-07 to 2007-08 4.3 5.0 4.5 5.0 4.7 4.5 
			 1997-98 to 2001-02 25.9 41.8 43.9 39.1 43.3 36.7 
			 1997-98 to 2005-06 61.5 79.6 88.8 98.9 98.4 93.1 
			 1997-98 to 2007-08 76.7 98.0 106.6 119.2 118.2 110.9 
			 2005-06 to 2007-08 9.4 10.2 9.4 10.2 10.0 9.2 
		
	
	These data are taken from the Budget Requirement forms completed annually by all precepting authorities. The information shown only relates to the precept levied by the county council on a Band D two-adult property and does not include council tax levied by shire district, fire or police authorities.
	Data between years and authorities is not strictly comparable due to changes in methods of funding and responsibility. In particular, the funding of some fire authorities changed in 2004-05 from being financed by a levy on the county council to the fire authority becoming a precepting authority in their own right. This affected the figures for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex.

Departments: Cost-effectiveness

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what cash-releasing efficiency savings her Department has made in the last 12 months; at what cost; and in which divisions.

John Healey: Information on the cash-releasing efficiency savings made in the last 12 months is not available. Some of our workstreams report efficiency gains annually in arrears. We will publish our autumn performance report in November which will include the efficiency savings we have achieved to date including those delivered during 2006-07 and the proportion that is cash-releasing.
	Sir Peter Gershon's independent report into public sector efficiency did not require that efficiencies be recorded net of up-front investment costs and Communities and Local Government has followed this advice. As a consequence, the costs of delivering efficiency gains could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. All vfm savings during the CSR07 period will be cash-releasing and net of up-front costs.

Home Information Packs: Consultants

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what external consultancy or research organisations her Department and its predecessor has contracted to work on home information packs since 2002; what the topic of their research or advice was; and how much has been spent on each.

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) on 8 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1568W. Since then a further £2,005,259 has been spent.
	In addition we have commissioned research on the following topics since 2002. Tenders submitted were evaluated against the Department's assessment of value for money and procurement framework. Costs set out are exclusive of VAT,
	
		
			  Topic  Organisation  Cost (£) 
			 Area trials Ipsos MORI 590,373 
			 Economic analysis Europe Economics 43,321 
			 DEA's and HI's Asset Skills 21,110 
			  BRE 28,900 
			  Ipsos MORI 41,784 
			 Searches CIPFA 8,000 
			  KPMG 187,000 
			 Evaluation Ipsos MORI and BRE 361,729 
			  Spark Research 10,500 
			 Awareness GFK NOP 83,000 
			  NOP 22,000 
			 HCRs BRE 308,057 
			  BRE 102,915 
			  BRE 9,970

Housing Benefit: Sandwell

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average level of housing benefit was for  (a) local authority tenants,  (b) registered social landlord tenants and  (c) private sector tenants in Sandwell Metropolitan borough council in each of the last five years.

James Plaskitt: I have been asked to reply.
	The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Average amount of housing benefit paid to tenants in Sandwell Metropolitan borough council area by tenure 
			  £ per week 
			   February 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Local Authority Tenants 47.30 48.59 50.16 51.45 53.02 
			 Registered Social Landlord Tenants 65.70 60.89 62.56 65.22 61.44 
			 Private Tenants(1) 72.69 68.09 72.19 77.60 73.05 
			 All tenants 51.90 52.04 54.17 56.27 56.70 
			 (1) Private tenants includes, regulated tenants, deregulated tenants and other private tenants. It excludes registered social landlord tenants.  Notes: 1. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. The average amounts have been rounded to the nearest penny. 3. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases.  Source: Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in the quarters shown.

Housing: Energy

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of private sector houses built in each of the last three years met the energy efficiency standards required of public sector housing; and when she expects the same standards to be required in both sectors.

Iain Wright: Prior to April 2007 we did not collect information on the energy efficiency standards of either public sector housing or private sector housing. However, since April 2007 when the Code for Sustainable Homes was introduced in England, all Government-funded homes and homes built on land owned by English Partnerships will be built to Code level 3, which is a 25 per cent. improvement minimum energy efficiency standards set down in Part L of the Building Regulations. It is too early to say what proportion of private sector housing will be built to Code level 3.
	All new homes, whether built by the private or public sector, are required to meet the minimum energy efficiency standards set down in Part L of the Building Regulations. Following extensive consultation with the home building industry, environmental groups and other stakeholders, on 23 July 2007 the Government confirmed, in its Housing Green Paper, its intention to increase the energy efficiency standards of new homes above 2006 levels by 25 per cent. in 2010, 44 per cent. in 2013 and for all new homes to be zero carbon by 2016.

Housing: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of  (a) housing association and  (b) private sector housing in each London constituency was judged to be unfit in each of the last five years.

Iain Wright: Information is collected for local authorities, rather than for constituencies. The percentages of  (a) housing association dwellings and  (b) private sector dwellings, within each London local authority, judged to be unfit in each of the last five years are provided in tables 1 and 2, respectively. The percentages are calculated from data reported by local authorities in their annual Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix returns.
	
		
			  Table 1: Unfit dwellings within housing associations, as reported by local authorities 
			  Percentage 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Barking and Dagenham 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.3 
			 Barnet 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Bexley 0.0 0.0 12.8 0.0 0.0 
			 Brent 0.4 0.3 2.1 0.4 0.3 
			 Bromley 0.0 4.5 0.3 4.2 4.6 
			 Camden 8.1 8.3 3.6 3.7 1.0 
			 City of London 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Croydon 6.6 6.3 7.0 6.3 2.5 
			 Ealing 1.6 1.2 1.0 0.7 0.6 
			 Enfield 0.0 0.1 0.8 1.1 0.0 
			 Greenwich 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.0 
			 Hackney 3.5 3.0 0.8 1.8 1.8 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1.3 1.3 0.3 0.3 1.3 
			 Haringey 1.0 8.3 8.3 7.4 4.0 
			 Harrow 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 1.5 
			 Havering 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.9 
			 Hillingdon 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Hounslow 0.0 0.2 0.3 1.4 0.3 
			 Islington 8.0 6.5 6.3 5.6 6.0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 2.4 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.5 
			 Kingston upon Thames 0.1 0.1 0.0 2.2 0.0 
			 Lambeth 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.2 0.2 
			 Lewisham 0.0 3.4 3.4 3.0 3.0 
			 Merton 0.0 0.0 0.9 1.3 0.0 
			 Newham 1.4 1.4 5.0 8.4 8.4 
			 Redbridge 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1.4 1.4 1.5 3.9 0.3 
			 Southwark 2.0 5.3 5.1 4.9 4.7 
			 Sutton 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Tower Hamlets 3.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.5 
			 Waltham Forest 3.2 2.4 0.7 1.4 6.4 
			 Wandsworth 0.2 4.2 4.2 0.8 0.2 
			 Westminster 8.0 8.1 8.0 8.0 7.8 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Unfit dwellings within private sector housing, as reported by local authorities 
			  Percentage 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Barking and Dagenham 4.7 4.2 4.4 4.8 4.8 
			 Barnet 5.6 5.8 5.7 5.6 5.6 
			 Bexley 7.0 6.9 4.4 6.6 3.5 
			 Brent 14.6 14.4 6.8 6.6 15.3 
			 Bromley 3.9 5.0 4.9 3.2 3.1 
			 Camden 16.7 16.9 10.0 11.0 11.1 
			 City of London 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Croydon 8.3 8.3 8.3 8.2 8.3 
			 Ealing 6.0 6.0 5.8 4.7 0.9 
			 Enfield 4.0 3.9 3.9 3.8 3.8 
			 Greenwich 13.5 13.2 12.6 12.2 11.7 
			 Hackney 12.1 n/a 11.5 10.8 10.2 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 17.8 13.8 4.8 5.6 5.5 
			 Haringey 17.6 17.5 17.5 14.6 9.8 
			 Harrow 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.9 
			 Havering 4.3 4.0 3.9 3.9 3.9 
			 Hillingdon 6.0 5.8 4.4 4.4 5.7 
			 Hounslow 11.5 11.4 11.2 3.5 3.5 
			 Islington 11.2 8.0 7.6 6.9 5.9 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.4 
			 Kingston upon Thames 4.7 4.6 4.5 4.5 4.4 
			 Lambeth 10.1 14.1 14.1 11.3 11.3 
			 Lewisham 7.5 7.4 7.2 6.9 6.9 
			 Merton 12.3 12.2 n/a 6.2 5.7 
			 Newham 26.6 26.7 14.1 15.2 15.2 
			 Redbridge 0.0 0.0 6.1 5.9 5.9 
			 Richmond upon Thames 4.4 6.5 5.5 5.0 5.0 
			 Southwark 5.7 3.6 3.5 6.6 6.4 
			 Sutton 4.9 4.8 4.7 4.4 4.2 
			 Tower Hamlets 6.4 4.6 3.9 3.6 3.4 
			 Waltham Forest 8.0 8.0 8.0 6.3 5.8 
			 Wandsworth 1.6 9.0 8.9 5.5 5.5 
			 Westminster 5.1 5.1 5.0 4.9 4.8 
			 n/a = Not available.  Note: Underlying data as reported by local authorities. Some zero's may reflect non-reporting of numbers of unfit dwellings.  Source:  Communities and Local Government Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix Return (HSSA), calculated from section A. 
		
	
	Returns for individual authorities are not strictly comparable for a number of methodological reasons related to the timing and methods of assessment used. The latest national estimates from the English House Condition Survey for 2005 indicated 3 per cent. of housing association homes were unfit and 4 per cent. of private sector homes were unfit.

Local Area Agreements

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will take steps to encourage local authorities to establish strong links between their local area agreement and local compacts.

John Healey: It is vital that non-statutory organisations such as voluntary and community sector groups and businesses are fully involved in partnership working to agree and deliver local area agreements. Indeed in most areas they are already involved in collaborative working through the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) for the area. The 2006 LSP survey showed that over 80 per cent. of LSPs have voluntary sector umbrella organisations among their membership and nearly two thirds involve businesses. We want LSPs to develop this further because these sectors have a valuable contribution to make to discussions and can help to deliver in ways in which mainstream public sector providers can find difficult.
	The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill, requires that the upper-tier or 'responsible' local authority must consult such other persons as appear to it to be appropriate, during the preparation of both the Sustainable Community Strategy and Local Area Agreement. While this will allow local authorities to exercise their discretion in this matter, we would expect responsible local authorities to consult with appropriate representatives of the local voluntary, community and business sectors, We will make this obligation clear through the statutory guidance to accompany the legislation,
	In addition, all local authorities now have a local compact in place which, if utilised, can help deliver real change for communities by recognising the third sector's independence, partnership working, diversity and right to campaign. Local authorities and their partners should consider how compact principles can be embedded in local area agreements.
	To help ensure third sector organisations are effectively involved in the LAA process we have also worked with national third sector organisations to develop guiding principles of representation, based on their experience of what have proved successful. We will shortly be releasing these principles as a discussion paper.

Local Authorities: Grants

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the central Government's grant per capita was for each local authority in England in  (a) 1997-98 and  (b) 2005-06; and what the average grant per capita in (i) district councils, (ii) unitary councils, (iii) county councils, (iv) metropolitan councils and (v) London boroughs was in each of those years.

John Healey: I have placed in the Library of the House a table showing the information on central Government grant per capita for each local authority in 1998-99 and 2005-06.
	It is not possible to give figures for 1997-98 as the population figures are unavailable owing to the reorganisation of local authorities.
	The average central Government grant per capita by class of authority in 1998-99 and 2005-06 is tabled as follows:
	
		
			  £ per head 
			  Class of authority  1998-99  2005-06 
			 District Councils 62 79 
			 Unitary Councils 633 1,042 
			 County Councils 476 772 
			 Metropolitan Councils 723 1,238 
			 London Boroughs (including City of London) 841 1,307 
			  Source: Communities and Local Government Revenue Outturn (RO) returns. 
		
	
	Central Government grant is defined here as the sum of formula grant (revenue support grant, police grant and redistributed non-domestic rates) and specific grants inside aggregate external finance (AEF), i.e. revenue grants paid for council's core services.
	Figures exclude grants outside AEF (i.e. where funding is not for authorities' core services, but is passed to a third party, for example, rent allowances and rebates), capital grants, funding for the local authorities' housing management responsibilities and those grant programmes (such as European funding) where authorities are simply one of the recipients of funding paid towards an area.

Local Government Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Beckenham of 3 September 2007,  Official Report, columns 1682-83W, on Local Government Finance, which years the funding covers for each of the participatory budget pilot areas indicated.

John Healey: Pursuant to the reply given on 3 September 2007,  Official Report, columns 1682-83W, on the amount of funding allocated by the participatory budgeting pilot projects, the following table shows the breakdown by financial year.
	
		
			Financial year 
			 Bradford Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 2004-08 
			  Neighbourhood Renewal Fund  
			  Safer and Stronger Communities Fund 2006-08 
			
			 Newcastle Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 2006-08 
			
			 Sunderland New Deal for Communities in East End and Hendon 2005-08 
			  East Area Committee Local Authority Funding 2005-06 
			  Re-profiling New Deal for Communities funds 2006-11 
			
			 Salford Local Authority Transport capital programme, "other minor works" funding devolved to Claremont and Weaste Community Committee 2007-08 
			
			 Manton Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder 2007-08 
			
			 Lewisham Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 2007-08 
			  Local Authority core funds (spending priorities for these funds to be decided in September).

Local Government: Standards

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities, classified by Government office region, have Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets which include adoption targets; what the target for adoption is in each case; and how much money each local authority will receive if it achieves all of its PSA targets.

John Healey: pursuant to the reply given by the then Minister for Local Government (Phil Woolas), 13 June 2007, Official Report, c. 1073W
	There are 64 reward targets in Local Public Service Agreements and Local Area Agreements which measure performance on adoption and/or stability of placements for Looked After Children. Reward would be payable to local authorities and their partners for achievement of these particular targets. Details on each target have been made available in the Library of the House.

Planning: Supermarkets

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received from supermarkets in relation to planning reform in the last 12 months; and if she will place in the Library copies of such representations.

Yvette Cooper: The Secretary of State (or her officials) has received representations from the following supermarkets in relation to planning reforms in the last 12 months:
	Asda*
	The Co-operative Movement
	Lidl
	Marks and Spencer
	Musgrave GB
	Salisbury's*
	Tesco*
	Waitrose*
	Copies are available the House of Commons library, except for where supermarkets have asked that these remain confidential (indicated by*).

Valuation Office: Nimbus Partners

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what  (a) services and  (b) goods the Valuation Office Agency has purchased from the company Nimbus Partners in the last five years; at what cost; and for what purpose.

Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
	The VGA has procured from Nimbus Partners, a software application known as Control Enterprise Suite. The software is used in the development and mapping of VOA processes.
	The initial purchase cost in 2003 was £186,100 excluding VAT.
	In addition the agency pay annual support and maintenance charges to Nimbus geared to the number of users since the original procurement these charges have been:
	
		
			   £ (excluding VAT) 
			 03-04 (part) 45,000 
			 04-05 52,312 
			 05-06 61,875 
			 06-07 61,875

Bankruptcy

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many individual voluntary arrangements were  (a) taken out and  (b) breached in (i) the UK and (ii) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last five years.

Patrick McFadden: It is currently not possible to provide official figures for individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) by constituency. Further, IVAs typically last for five years and therefore statistics for later years will be increasingly skewed in favour of ongoing cases and failures in the earlier stages of the IVA. The number of IVAs registered in England and Wales and their status as at August 2007 can be seen in table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1: England and Wales 
			  IVAs registered  IVA status as at August 2007 (percentage) 
			Ongoing  Completed  Failed 
			 2002 6,295 25 50 25 
			 2003 7,583 42 33 25 
			 2004 10,752 56 20 24 
			 2005 20,293 75 9 16 
			 2006 44,332 92 3 5 
			  Note: Rounding could produce overall percentages greater or less than 100 per cent. 
		
	
	The Insolvency Service has policy responsibility relating to individual insolvency in England and Wales. For Scotland and Northern Ireland this is the responsibility of the Accountant in Bankruptcy, Scotland and the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, NI, respectively. The number of voluntary insolvencies, known as Protected Trust Deeds in Scotland and IVAs in Northern Ireland, can be seen in table 2. The status of these procedures is not available from the Insolvency Service (England and Wales).
	
		
			  Table2 
			   Scottish protected trust deeds  Northern Ireland IVAs 
			 2002 5,174 207 
			 2003 5,452 318 
			 2004 6,024 449 
			 2005 6,881 633 
			 2006 8,208 774

UK Trade and Investment: Defence Export Service Organisation

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what name will be given to the new organisation within UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) which will have responsibility for defence exports; and how many employees of the Defence Exports Service Organisation will be transferred to UKTI.

Gareth Thomas: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 25 July, the Cabinet Office is leading work on the development of an implementation plan to be ready by the end of this year. An update will be provided to the House when this work is completed.

British Waterways Board: Finance

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Welsh Assembly Government on the funding of British Waterways; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Scottish Executive on the funding of British Waterways; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on  (a) the funding of British Waterways and  (b) the use of British Waterways for leisure and tourism purposes; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on  (a) the funding of British Waterways and  (b) the role of British Waterways in regeneration; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on  (a) the funding of British Waterways and  (b) the use of British Waterways to transport freight; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Responsibly for inland waterways has not been devolved to Wales and DEFRA remains the single government sponsor of British Waterways in England and Wales. However officials do discuss British Waterways matters with their Welsh counterparts from time to time.
	The Scottish Executive is responsible for the funding of British Waterways' canals in Scotland and I am in contact with my counterpart in the Scottish Executive as required by the governing legislation. My officials also hold regular liaison meetings with the Executive to discuss financial and operational matters affecting British Waterways.
	DEFRA holds regular meetings with ministerial colleagues and officials on a wide range of issues, including the funding of British Waterways and its operational activities. I have recently written to the Secretaries of State for Communities and Local Government, for Health, for Transport and for Culture, Media and Sport, with the aim of setting up an inter-departmental working group to formalise and strengthen DEFRA's contact with other Government Departments. This group will work to ensure that the potential benefits of waterways are understood.

Fisheries: Subsidies

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2007,  Official Report, column 777W, on fisheries: subsidies, when he expects the UK operational programme to be ready for submission to the European Commission; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he expects UK fishermen to begin receiving European Fisheries Fund monies; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: We aim to consult with fishermen and other stakeholders on the Operational Programme in early 2008. Following this, we will be working to submit the UK Operational Programme to the European Commission at the earliest opportunity, which should be in any case not later than June 2008.
	We cannot finalise the draft programme until agreement is reached on the split of the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) budget between the devolved administrations. I am continuing to seek a resolution and, if necessary, will do so through the dispute resolution procedures set out in the devolution agreements.
	Payments of EFF monies to European Union countries can only commence after the Commission approves the Operational Programme. Officials are working closely with the Commission during the development of the Operational Programme to ensure that the approval process can be completed as quickly as possible. We anticipate that payments to UK fishermen will commence in late 2008.

Fisheries: Subsidies

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2007,  Official Report, column 777W, on fisheries: subsidies, what proposals have been put forward for the division of the European Fisheries Fund monies between the devolved administrations.

Jonathan R Shaw: Officials from the four UK Administrations have explored a number of methods for dividing the UK European Fisheries Fund (EFF) budget. These include the use of metrics (such as value of fishing industry output), numbers employed in the fisheries sector, number of fishing businesses and dependence on fisheries. It was concluded that none of these offered an allocation that was considered reasonable by all four Administrations.
	For this reason, the Administrations agreed that a budget-split based on the split for the previous grant scheme, Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFO), offered the most reasonable compromise.
	While provisional agreement has been reached for use of the FIFG split for the non-convergence budget, Administrations have failed to reach final agreement on the use of this method for the convergence budget. I am continuing to seek a resolution and, if necessary, will do so through the dispute resolution procedures set out in the devolution agreements.

Baroness Vadera

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  whether Baroness Vadera has attended meetings at HM Treasury on the international economic system.
	(2)  whether Baroness Vadera has attended meetings at HM Treasury on Northern Rock;
	(3)  what meetings Baroness Vadera has had with representatives of UBS on the sale of Northern Rock to Lloyds TSB.

Shahid Malik: Ministers and senior officials meet a range of individuals and organisations to discuss policy and delivery issues. As was the case with the previous administration, the Government does not provide details of all such meetings.

Palestinians: International Assistance

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2007,  Official Report, column 138W, on Palestinians: international assistance, what progress has been made by the EU towards urgently developing the conditions for direct practical and financial assistance to the Palestinian Emergency Government; and what the UK role has been in this regard.

Shahid Malik: The UK, European Commission (EC) and other EU donors are already providing financial and practical assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA). On 24 July, the EC announced $123 million (£62 million) of extra funding for 2007. EU donors Sweden and France have committed direct budgetary support. The UK is helping the PA prepare a reform and development plan and improve financial management systems, as a basis for more significant medium term donor support. On 17 July, DFID also announced £3 million to help the PA pay off debts to the private sector.

Zimbabwe: Sanitary Protection

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to address the lack of access to basic sanitary protection for women in Zimbabwe.

Gareth Thomas: DFID provides up to £40 million per year to assist Zimbabweans in need. The problem of sanitary provision in Zimbabwe is part of a wider economic and governance crisis which has led to an acute shortage of basic and essential goods.
	During this crisis, DFID is providing substantial direct assistance to protect livelihoods, tackle HIV/AIDS, and help meet the humanitarian needs of more than 1.5 million poor people in Zimbabwe. Some of our NGO partners are providing sanitary products to girls and young women as part of a £22 million programme in support of orphans and vulnerable children. DFID supported programmes also provide cash to poor people to help meet basic needs such as food, education and health—including sanitary provision.

Armed Forces: Multiple Sclerosis

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many service personnel were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and discharged under the old war pension scheme (AFCS75)  (a) with and  (b) without the award of attributable benefits;
	(2)  how many service personnel were released other than on medical grounds but have subsequently been awarded war pensions (AFCS75) and attributable benefits because they suffered symptoms of multiple sclerosis whilst serving;
	(3)  how many service personnel with multiple sclerosis were discharged under the new scheme (AFCS05)  (a) with and  (b) without attributable benefits;
	(4)  how many service personnel have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis whilst still serving and have been awarded benefits under the AFCS05 scheme.

Derek Twigg: I have been asked to reply.
	Multiple sclerosis is a disorder whose cause is currently unknown. There is no published peer-reviewed scientific or medical evidence to suggest any link with particular occupations including between any factor of service in the armed forces and development of multiple sclerosis.
	Information is not held centrally as to the total number of serving and retired service personnel suffering from multiple sclerosis and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Records do however show that there are 380 former service personnel currently in receipt of a war disablement pension under the War Pension Scheme (WPS), with an accepted claim for multiple sclerosis. The records do not identify when these pensioners were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis or whether it was the reason for their discharge.
	The WPS provides no-fault compensation for all former service personnel disabled as a result of their service in the armed forces before 6 April 2005. Awards are made under the WPS where, on the individual case facts and under the legislation, a casual link to service can be accepted. The WPS onus and standard of proof mean that casual links may be lawfully recognised which do not reflect contemporary medical evidence. Where a disablement has clinical onset during service and leads to medical discharge, claims are automatically considered. In that situation or where a claim is made within seven years of service termination, entitlement will be certified unless it can be shown by evidence beyond reasonable doubt that service has played no part in the cause or course of the disorder. In these circumstances claims for multiple sclerosis may succeed on that basis.
	Any service personnel who develop multiple sclerosis in service and are medically discharged may be entitled to ill-health benefits under the terms of their occupational pension scheme.
	Information is not held centrally which can identify former service personnel released on non-medical grounds, who have subsequently been awarded war pensions for suffering the symptoms of multiple sclerosis while in service. To obtain the information would involve the examination of individual files which could be done only at disproportionate cost—there are currently around 178,000 people in receipt of a war disablement pension.
	No service personnel have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and awarded attributable benefits under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. Less than five service personnel have been discharged without benefits. The scheme provides no-fault compensation for all serving and former service personnel for injury/illness caused on or after 6 April 2005. It awards benefits where the evidence shows, on the balance of probabilities, that service is the predominant cause of the injury or disorder.

Cemeteries

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) serious injuries and  (b) deaths resulted from unsafe gravestones in each year since 2000.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 25 October 2007
	Reliable data for the period requested is not available. However, the available data shows that 21 serious accidents caused by falling gravestones and memorials, were reported to the Health and Safety Executive over the last seven years, including three fatalities.

Children: Maintenance

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the savings to be made from child maintenance reform and elsewhere in his Department in order to pay for the higher child support maintenance disregard for parents on benefits, as mentioned in the pre-Budget report and comprehensive spending review.

James Plaskitt: The Department's CSR 07 Settlement requires it to reduce its expenditure by 5 per cent. per annum in real terms. A value for money delivery agreement setting out how those savings will be realised will be published in December. The costs of meeting the higher child maintenance disregard from 2010-11 has been factored into the planning that will inform that value for money agreement.

Children: Maintenance

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of non-resident parents with a present child support liability who, as a result of transfer of their case to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission from 2010 onwards, will see their weekly liability alter by  (a) between £0 to £10,  (b) between £10 to £20,  (c) between £20 to £30 and  (d) by more than £30 as a result of the difference between their current assessment and the new calculation based on historic tax year information.

James Plaskitt: The information requested is not available.
	With the increased focus on voluntary arrangements and the ending of the requirement that parents with care on benefit be treated as applying for child maintenance, not all of the current Child Support Agency caseload will choose to use the statutory maintenance service. Since we do not know the precise composition of the resulting caseload, it is not possible to estimate the impact on those existing cases on moving to the Commission.
	Figures on the amounts paid under the second child support scheme and statutory maintenance arrangements under different income levels and for different family sizes can be found in table 2, page 19 of the Regulatory Impact Assessment which accompanied the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill.

Council Tax Benefits: Pensioners

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the campaign his Department is running to promote the take up of council tax benefit by pensioners; and what assessment he has made of the impact of this campaign so far.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 17 October 2007
	The three page claim form that has been introduced means less bureaucracy and better service for pension credit customers. One phone call can give customers access to four benefits—pension credit, state retirement pension, council tax benefit (CTB) and housing benefit (HB). This form is completed for the customer. All they need to do is check it, sign it and send it back.
	We are taking other measures to promote the take up of CTB. There are annual awareness campaigns. We have provided local authorities with best practice guidance that contains information about barriers to claiming, ways of overcoming them, and case study examples of good practice to improve take-up. We have supported the three page form arrangements with computer scans run by The Pension Service to discover people getting pension credit but not CTB and this information is passed to local authorities. We encourage local authorities to do take-up activity through our performance standards and have awarded £2.2 million to 38 authorities to increase CTB take-up.
	In the longer term, we want to deliver CTB as accessibly, simply and securely as possible. We want to research the feasibility of using data held "across Government" to build profiles of people likely to be entitled. We also want to develop the concept of a "single point of contact" for pensioners, coupled with alignment of application processes that will provide greater efficiency and a better public service.
	Our assessment shows that enabling people to access CTB and HB via the Pension Service has resulted so far in over 65,000 more people being paid those benefits.

Departments: Disabled

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which buildings occupied by his Department  (a) are and  (b) are not fully accessible to disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: My Department is the major occupier of 1,191 buildings. No central data is held of the number of these buildings which are or are not considered to be fully accessible to disabled people.
	Where there are access difficulties for disabled people, my Department makes appropriate reasonable adjustments to its arrangements for the recruitment and employment of staff, and the services and functions it delivers to its users, in accordance with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Departments: Location

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to provide a regular public transport service for those staff members whose work is to be relocated to Peel Hill from the Government Offices site at Moreland road St. Anne's; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: A variety of options for the provision of a bus service are currently being evaluated by the Department in order to establish the most cost effective, practical and efficient solution.

Departments: Public Participation

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many citizens' juries were arranged for  (a) his Department and  (b) his Department's agencies in each year since 1997; which organisations were commissioned to conduct each citizens' jury; and what the cost was of each.

Anne McGuire: Data from 1997 is not readily available and would require a significant review of all engagement activities and analysis of the techniques used, extracting costs for citizens' juries at a disproportionate cost.

Departments: Written Questions

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of Questions tabled to his Department for answer on a named day received a substantive reply on the day named in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Anne McGuire: In the period from 26 October 2006 to 25 October 2007 605 named day parliamentary questions were tabled to the Department for Work and Pensions, of which 180 received a substantive answer by the named day.

Discrimination: Age

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to combat ageism in the workplace; how many legal claims have been made against employers relating to ageism in the last five years, broken down by  (a) age and  (b) sector; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: I have been asked to reply.
	The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/1031) came into force on 1 October 2006. These regulations outlaw unjustified age discrimination in employment and vocational training. Provisions relating to occupational pensions came into force on 1 December 2006. The regulations give individuals important new rights, extend existing rights and speed up removal of traditional barriers. Figures on the number of legal claims made against employers relating to ageism in the last five years, are not currently available as the regulations have only been in force since 1 October 2006. These will be provided by the ETS in its annual report. ETS does not routinely collect information on the age and sector of claimants, but BERR does carry out periodic surveys of employment tribunal findings. The last of which was carried out in 2003 (DTI/Pub 7531/0.9k/08/04/AR. URN 04/1071). The next survey is due to be carried out in 2008 and will include among other things information on the age and sector of claimants.

Employment

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will give a break down of the number of people in employment in the UK who were  (a) UK citizens,  (b) citizens of other EU states and  (c) citizens of non-EU states in each year since 1971.

Caroline Flint: The following table provides the information requested. Data is only available back as far as spring 1995 broken down by nationality. The figures quoted are based on population estimates published in 2003. A note placed in the Library in response to PQ/07/157946 provides a broader context for changes in employment since 1997.
	
		
			  Quarter spring  UK nationals  non UK, EU nationals  non-EU nationals 
			 1995 24,760,000 440,000 420,000 
			 1996 25,000,000 420,000 430,000 
			 1997 25,310,000 450,000 510,000 
			 1998 25,450,000 500,000 550,000 
			 1999 25,780,000 500,000 530,000 
			 2000 26,050,000 510,000 610,000 
			 2001 26,210,000 540,000 660,000 
			 2002 26,270,000 560,000 730,000 
			 2003 26,470,000 550,000 800,000 
			 2004 26,530,000 590,000 890,000 
			 2005 26,620,000 650,000 900,000 
			 2006 26,500,000 750,000 1,050,000 
			 Quarter 2 2006(1) 26,520,000 750,000 1,070,000 
			 Quarter 2 2007(1) 26,350,000 980,000 1,110,000 
			 (1) Quarter 2 for years 2006 and 2007 have been used in place of summer quarters as after spring 2006 seasonal quarters are no longer available. For periods after 2006 we only have calendar quarters available. Calendar quarters do not have as extensive a time series available. Spring quarters cover months March to May, Quarter 2 covers April to June.  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000. 2. These figures are subject to seasonal variation and fluctuate to some extent from quarter to quarter. 3. As these figures are based on a sample survey they are also subject to sampling variability. 4. It should be noted that the nationality question in the LFS is an undercount because: it excludes those who have not been resident in the UK for six months it excludes students in halls who do not have a UK resident parent it excludes people in most other types of communal establishments (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites, etc.) it is grossed to population estimates that only include migrants staying for 12 months or more  Source:  Labour Force Survey, Q2 1997, Q2 2007.

Employment

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) UK nationals and  (b) foreign nationals were employed in the UK in (i) 1997 and (ii) the most recent period for which figures are available; what those figures are as a percentage of those in employment in the UK; and what the percentage change in each of these figures was in the relevant period.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 15 October 2007
	 The following table provides the information requested, as well as information on employment rates. As shown, the employment rates of both UK nationals and foreign nationals have improved during the period. The employment rate for UK nationals is higher than that of foreign nationals but the gap is closing.
	The total number in employment in the UK in 2007 is shown to be 28.4 million. This figure is based on estimates made in 2003 of the population in 2007 because these are the latest estimates available for use in respect of particular categories of the labour force such as migrants. The Labour Market Statistics release produced by the Office for National Statistics shows the total employment level to be 29.10 million. This figure is based on estimates made in 2005 of the population in 2007, the latest estimates which can be used for the total employment level.
	The increase in the number of foreign nationals in employment in the UK since 1997 is shown to be 1.1 million. This figure differs from the figure of 0.8 million given in PQ/07/154368 for reasons set out in the answer to PQ/07/157946. A note placed in the Library in response to PQ/07/157946 provides a broader context for changes in employment since 1997.
	
		
			   Employment level (million)  Percentage of those in employment  Employment rate  (Percentage) 
			   UK nationals  Foreign nationals  Total  UK nationals  Foreign nationals  UK nationals  Foreign nationals  Total 
			 1997 25.4 1.0 26.4 96.3 3.7 73.2 60.6 72.6 
			 2007 26.3 2.1 28.4 92.7 7.3 74.8 67.6 74.2 
			 Net change 1.0 1.1 2.1 -3.7 3.7 1.6 7.0 1.5 
			 Percentage change 3.8 115.0 7.9 -3.8 99.3 2.1 11.6 2.1 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100,000. 2. These figures are subject to seasonal variation and fluctuate to some extent from quarter to quarter. 3. As these figures are based on a sample survey they are also subject to sampling variability. 4. It should be noted that the nationality question in the LFS is an undercount because:- it excludes those who have not been resident in the UK for six months it excludes students in halls who do not have a UK resident parent it excludes people in most other types of communal establishments (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites, etc.) it is grossed to population estimates that only include migrants staying for 12 months or more  Source:  Labour Force Survey, Q2 1997, Q2 2007.

Housing: Carbon Monoxide

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Government has taken to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning in private student accommodation.

Anne McGuire: The Government last week gave full support to "CO Awareness week" that was designed to raise public appreciation of the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
	A ministerial group on gas safety this month received details from the gas and allied industries about plans this winter to publicise widely the dangers of CO poisoning. The role of the ministerial group was announced in June this year.
	Looking ahead, the Government have announced a major reform of the gas installer registration scheme, to include a new requirement on the appointed provider to promote new initiatives on raising public awareness of gas safety risks, including in student rented accommodation.

Incapacity Benefit: Eastern Region

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in  (a) East of England and  (b) Suffolk had been claiming incapacity benefit for more than five years in each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claimants with a duration of five years or more 
			  Quarter ending February:  East of England  Suffolk 
			 2001 74,530 9,310 
			 2002 80,240 9,990 
			 2003 85,490 10,550 
			 2004 88,960 10,830 
			 2005 91,550 11,160 
			 2006 93,720 11,230 
			 2007 95,320 11,370 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Figures for claimants with a duration of claim of five years or over are not available prior to April 2000 as incapacity benefit was not introduced until April 1995.  Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data

National Insurance Contributions

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) women aged 60 and over and  (b) men aged 65 and over will have accrued 30 years or less National Insurance contributions before April 2010.

Mike O'Brien: The latest information available indicates that at the end of the financial year 2003-04 there were almost 4.5 million women and around 150,000 men between state pension age and age 80 who had accrued 30 or fewer qualifying years for basic state pension.
	However, individuals with 30 or fewer qualifying years can still qualify for a full basic State Pension under the current arrangements.
	Entitlement to a basic state pension depends on a number of factors including the number of qualifying years accrued, home responsibilities protection and the spouse's contribution record.
	 Notes:
	1. Figures refer to people who are estimated to be resident in the UK in 2003-04.
	2. Detailed information is not available for people aged 80 and over due to archiving of records from the National Insurance Recording System.
	 Source: Lifetime Labour Market Database 2, 2003-04

New Deal Schemes

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of participants in each of the New Deal programmes returned to benefits within  (a) three months,  (b) six months,  (c) 12 months and  (d) two years of leaving the programme in the latest period for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: People who have been on the New Deal programme who subsequently return to benefits may be in receipt of out of work or inactive benefits and may not, due to changes in personal circumstances, necessarily return to the benefit they were claiming before they participated in New Deal.
	The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage of New Deal leavers who returned to benefits within 3, 6, 12 months and two years of leaving the programme 
			   3 months  6 months  12 months  24 months 
			 New Deal for Young People 9 29 50 66 
			 New Deal 25 plus 8 20 36 56 
			 New Deal for Lone Parents 5 11 19 31 
			 New Deal 50 plus 11 20 32 44 
			 New Deal for Disabled People 7 13 21 31 
			 New Deal for Partners 5 11 20 31 
			  Notes: 1. Latest data is to February 2007, therefore, allowing for a 24 month gap, only New Deal leavers to February 2005 are included in the 24 month column; allowing for a 12 month gap, only New Deal leavers to February 2006 are included in the 12 month column; allowing for a six month gap, only New Deal leavers to August 2006 are included in the six month column and, allowing for a three month gap, only New Deal leavers to November 2006 are included in the three month column. 2. People claiming within three months will also be included as claiming within six, 12, and 24 months. People claiming within six months will also be included as claiming within 12 and 24 months. People claiming within 12 months will also be included as claiming within 24 months. 3. The benefits included are: incapacity benefits; invalid care allowance; income support; jobseeker's allowance; severe disablement allowance, and widows'/bereavement benefits. 4. A benefit claim has only been included if it is a new claim after leaving New Deal. People can leave New Deal and continue a benefit claim; these people are not included as returning to benefit.  Source: Information Directorate, DWP.

New Deal Schemes

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of participants in each of the New Deal programmes returned to out of work benefits, including those who continued to claim an out of work benefit whilst participating in the New Deal, in each year since 1997.

Caroline Flint: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage of new deal participants who returned to out of work benefits in each year from 1998 
			   New deal for young people  New deal 25 plus  New deal for lone parents  New deal 50 plus  New deal for disabled people  New deal for partners 
			 1998 79 81 76 (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 1999 83 90 79 (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 2000 83 90 77 (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 2001 83 87 78 (1)— 85 (1)— 
			 2002 81 82 71 (1)— 72 (1)— 
			 2003 77 81 71 (1)— 69 (1)— 
			 2004 72 75 69 70 59 35 
			 2005 65 72 63 67 54 34 
			 2006 50 66 57 66 55 28 
			 (1) Not applicable.  Notes: 1. Data refers to the year in which individuals left new deal, which may not be the same year in which they subsequently claimed a benefit. 2. Data includes people who were claiming a benefit before participating on new deal who continued to claim during participation and after leaving the programme. 3. Benefits included are: Incapacity benefit, income support and jobseeker's allowance. 4. Information for new deal for disabled people is only available from 2001 and from 2004 for new deal 50 plus and new deal for partners. 5. Latest complete year data is for 2006. 6. Programme start dates are: New deal for young people: January 1998; new deal 25 plus: July 1998; new deal for lone parents: October 1998; new deal for partners: April 1999; new deal 50 plus: April 2000; new deal for disabled people: July 2001.  Source:  Information Directorate, DWP.

Occupational Pensions

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of private sector employers who offered a pension to their employees in each year since 1997 for which data is available.

Mike O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 23 July 2007,  Official Report, column 732W.

Pension Service: Equality

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Pension Service spent on equality schemes in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: The available information is in the following table:
	
		
			  The Pension Service staff costs 
			   Amount (£) 
			 2004 22,102 
			 2005 47,391 
			 2006 52,492 
		
	
	Within the last five years The Pension Service has produced, and reviewed, equality schemes in 2005 and 2006. Staff costs to The Pension Service include work carried out in 2004 to produce the 2005 scheme.
	The publication costs to The Pension Service scheme were incorporated into the overall DWP publication costs for the overarching DWP Equality Scheme.

Pension Service: Finance

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Pensions Service paid in bank charges in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: The bank charges for the Pension Service for the last two years are as follows.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 1,002,255.48 
			 2006-07 1,144,317.98 
			  Source: Central shared accounting services 
		
	
	Based upon an average customer base of between 11.5 million and 12 million over the period, the average cost per customer is about nine pence per annum.
	Prior to 2005-06 accurate and consistent information on bank charges is not available at agency level.

Pension Service: Hotels

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Pensions Service spent on hotel accommodation in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: The available information is in the following table:
	
		
			  The Pension Service Hotel Accommodation Expenditure( 1) 
			  £ 
			 2005 1,117,722 
			 2006 1,309,815 
			 (1) The Department's Business Travel section records contracted hotel accommodation expenditure. Information is available only from 2005. A small amount of hotel accommodation is booked locally and the expense accounted by the Department's Resource Management System. The information from the Resource Management System is not available at agency level and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Pension Service: ICT

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Pensions Service spent on customer relationship management software in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: The amounts spent on the purchase of customer relationship management software and its maintenance by the Pension Service are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Amount (£) 
			 2003-04 396,708 
			 2004-05 41,207 
			 2005-06 21,630 
			 2006-07 788,084 
			  Source: Invoices charged to Pensions Transformation Programme Cost Centre. 
		
	
	In June 2006, the Pension Service purchased additional software to support the agency's transformation programme through to 2008 and this is reflected in the 2006-07 costs.

Pension Service: Interpreters

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Pensions Service spent on interpreters in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: Interpreter services are managed centrally by the Department's Commercial Directorate, therefore this information is not available for The Pension Service as costs are not captured at individual agency or business unit level.

Pension Service: Marketing

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Pensions Service spent on branding in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: The branding of the Pension Service has not changed since the agency was launched in April 2002. The Pension Service has had no expenditure on branding in the last five years.

Pension Service: Sick Leave

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the Pensions Service have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: The first full year for which The Pension Service has staffing data, following its inception in 2002, is for 2003-04.
	
		
			   Average( 1)  monthly number of employees having an absence 28 days( 2)  or more 
			 2003-04 662 
			 2004-05 596 
			 2005-06 344 
			 2006-07 276 
			 (1) The Pension Service records of staff absence cannot state the number of people in each year that had 28 days or more absence as data is not recorded in that way. Data records the number of people in each month that reach 28 days or more. As some people appear in one or more consecutive months, it is not possible to add the monthly figures in order to get a yearly total. Therefore the monthly figure has been averaged for each year (2) DWP defines long term absence as someone who has been off sick for 28 calendar days or more.  Source:  Internal DWP records based on the Department's payroll system.

Pension Service: Telephone Services

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has any plans to charge customers for telephoning the Pensions Service.

Mike O'Brien: Currently, the Pension Service can be contacted on a range of numbers with the following call charging arrangements 0845, 0800, 0191 or 0113:
	0845 numbers are charged at local call rates and the current guidance by the Committee of Advertising Practice Code applies to the cost of these calls. Current guidance is that calls provided by BT will be charged at up to four pence per minute at all times. A call set up fee of three pence per call applies to calls from residential lines. Mobile and other providers' charges may vary.
	0800 99 1234 Pension Credit Application Line is a free phone number and there is no charge for calls to this number from a BT Landline. Mobile and other providers' charges may vary.
	0191 218 7777 (International Pension Centre—for Overseas Customers). Calls to this number are charged at the standard rate for the territory from which the customer is calling.
	0113 numbers in existence relate to:
	MP Helpline
	Comments on Customer Charter
	Calls made to each of these numbers from within the 0113 area are charged at Local Call Rates; calls made to each of these numbers from outside the area are charged at National Call Rates.
	The Pension Service always offers to call customers back if the customer expresses any concerns about the costs being incurred.
	All Public Service providers are currently assessing the impact of migrating call numbers to the new '03' range. The Pension Service will also review the existing range of telephone numbers and consider simplifying access to our services for our customers. As part of that review, cost implications and the merits of free-phone numbers over local call rates will be considered.

Pension Service: Translation Services

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Pensions Service spent on translation costs in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: Translation services are managed centrally by the Department's Communications Directorate. This information is not available for The Pension Service as costs are not captured at individual agency or business unit level.

Pension Service: Travel

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Pensions Service spent on foreign travel in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: Costs are not captured at a sufficiently detailed level in the Department's Resource Management System for expenditure by the Pension Service on foreign travel to be separately identifiable.
	The only source for this information is from the Department's Business Travel section, but this is likely to be incomplete—missing some hotel accommodation which is booked locally—and is only available since June 2006. The Pension Service spend on foreign travel report from this source is £80,381 between June 2006 and August 2007.

Pensioners: Poverty

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what his Department's latest estimate is of the number of pensioners in  (a) the UK,  (b) Wales,  (c) Scotland and  (d) England living below the poverty line; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of pensioners in  (a) the UK,  (b) Wales,  (c) Scotland and  (d) England were living below the poverty line in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The available information is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Number of pensioners living in households below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income after housing costs 
			   UK/GB( 3)   Wales  Scotland  England 
			 1996-97 2,890,000 1994-95 to 1996-97 140,000 270,000 2,400,000 
			 1997-98 2,900,000 1995-96 to 1997-98 150,000 270,000 2,440,000 
			 1998-99 2,940,000 1996-97 to 1998-99 150,000 260,000 2,490,000 
			 1999-2000 2,840,000 1997-98 to 1999-2000 140,000 240,000 2,460,000 
			 2000-01 2,680,000 1998-99 to 2000-01 130,000 230,000 2,380,000 
			 2001-02 2,660,000 1999-2000 to 2001-02 140,000 230,000 2,300,000 
			 2002-03 2,530,000 2000-01 to 2002-03 130,000 220,000 2,220,000 
			 2003-04 2,180,000 2001-02 to 2003-04 120,000 210,000 2,070,000 
			 2004-05 1,880,000 2002-03 to 2004-05 110,000 190,000 1,850,000 
			 2005-06 1,840,000 2003-04 to 2005-06 110,000 160,000 1,640,000 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage of pensioners living in households below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income after housing costs 
			   UK/GB( 3)   Wales  Scotland  England 
			 1996-97 29 1994-95 to 1996-97 26 31 28 
			 1997-98 29 1995-96 to 1997-98 27 31 29 
			 1998-99 29 1996-97 to 1998-99 26 29 29 
			 1999-00 28 1997-98 to 1999-2000 26 28 29 
			 2000-01 26 1998-99 to 2000-01 24 27 28 
			 2001-02 26 1999-2000 to 2001-02 24 26 27 
			 2002-03 24 2000-01 to 2002-03 23 25 26 
			 2003-04 21 2001-02 to 2003-04 22 23 24 
			 2004-05 18 2002-03 to 2004-05 20 21 21 
			 2005-06 17 2003-04 to 2005-06 20 18 18 
			 (3) Figures are for the UK from 1998-99 onwards, with estimates for Northern Ireland imputed for the years 1998-99 through 2001-02. Earlier years are for GB only.  Notes: 1. There is no single accepted poverty line. The measure of low income for pensioners we have adopted uses a threshold of 60 per cent of contemporary median income after housing costs. 2. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10 thousand, and percentages to the nearest percentage point. 3. Numbers for Wales, Scotland and England are presented using a three-year moving average, as single-year estimates do not provide a robust guide to year-on-year changes.  Source: Family Resources Survey 
		
	
	We have made good progress in tackling pensioner poverty. Based on income measured after housing costs the number of pensioners in Great Britain living in relative poverty has fallen by more than one million between 1996-97 and 2005-06.
	We will continue to build on this good progress. A new Public Service Agreement 'Tackle poverty and promote greater independence in later life', published as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review in October 2007 clearly demonstrates that tackling the problems of low income amongst older people remains a key government priority.

Pensions

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 30 March 2006,  Official Report, column 1205W, on pensions, what his estimate is of the number of people who have lost their pensions due to the insolvency of the sponsoring employer or where the employer no longer exists; and what progress has been made towards providing a breakdown of this figure by  (a) constituency and  (b) region.

Mike O'Brien: We estimate that between 1997 and 2005, around 125,000 people lost some part of their pension due to the insolvency of the sponsoring employer or where the employer no longer exists.
	Approximately 117,000 non-pensioner members of these schemes are potentially eligible for assistance from the financial assistance scheme (FAS); these members are in around 690 FAS qualifying schemes.
	Because in most cases the employer no longer exists, the address provided to Financial Assistance Scheme Operational Unit (FASOU) is that of the administrator or receiver which often bears no geographical relevance to where the company was located. Providing an accurate picture of those who have lost their pensions by constituency and region is therefore not possible.
	FASOU only has addresses for members about whom schemes have submitted data. We are not, therefore, able to give a meaningful breakdown by location for all affected members.

Pensions: Telephone Services

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many calls made to the Pension Service in the East of England  (a) met an engaged tone,  (b) were received and  (c) were handled by an adviser in each year since 1997, broken down by call centre; and what area within the East of England is served by each call centre.

Mike O'Brien: Prior to 2002 the Benefits Agency was responsible for the delivery of benefits and services for pensioners. From April 2002, this became the sole responsibility of the Pension Service.
	The Pension Service started reporting telephony management information from August 2003.
	The information has been placed in the Library.
	In 2003-04 the Pension Service customer base was split into regions, the then East of England region was served exclusively by Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Norwich Baltic and Norwich Kingfisher pension centres.
	Since 2003-04 The Pension Service has reduced the number of pension centres and work is no longer managed in regions. Telephone calls from the East of England region are now handled by Burnley Pension Centre which also takes customers in the North West. It is not, therefore, possible to report East of England calls separately within the data held by The Pension Service.

Post Office Card Account: Overpayments

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much of the money paid into the wrong Post Office card accounts by his Department has been recovered over the last three years.

James Plaskitt: Since the Department's Resource Accounts were published in July, my officials have reviewed the basis on which these numbers were calculated.
	I can now provide updated figures covering the period up to 2006-07. These show that the amount incorrectly paid into Post Office card accounts was £7.3 million and the amount recovered was £2.4 million. (The figures in the Resource Accounts therefore overstated the amount that had been incorrectly paid and understated the amount that had been recovered.)
	To put this into context the level of incorrect payments represents around 0.01 per cent. of the payments made into Post Office card accounts during the same period.
	During this four year period the level of incorrect payments has reduced significantly, while the proportion of payments recovered has shown a significant increase. This is partly due to improvements by Post Office Ltd. in its own systems and procedures, which enable us to better identify and recover incorrect payments.

Remploy: Closures

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Government's policy is on Remploy factory closures; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 15 October 2007
	Following the review of Remploy last year by PriceWaterhouse Coopers, we asked the Remploy Board to bring forward a five-year restructuring plan both to modernise the business and to support substantially larger numbers of disabled people into work, ensuring that there would be no compulsory redundancies of disabled employees, and that their full terms and conditions—including rights to final salary pensions—would be protected.
	Remploy announced their initial proposals on 22 May. On 19 August, the Secretary of State appointed Roger Poole to chair the negotiations over the proposals between Remploy and the trade unions. Although substantial progress was made, these talks concluded with a formal failure to agree.
	The Secretary of State has now requested a final report from the Remploy board on the modernisation of the company, no later than 12 November 2007. We recognise that despite substantial progress, significant issues remain unresolved. Nonetheless, these remaining differences can and should be bridged. We continue to believe that a negotiated settlement represents the best outcome for Remploy.
	A decision on the future of Remploy will be made by the Secretary of State once a final report from the board is received. Until then, no Government decision will be made concerning Remploy's factories.

Remploy: Factories

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many factories Remploy  (a) owns and  (b) leases; and what the ownership status is of each factory.

Anne McGuire: Remploy owns 55 factories and leases 26 factories. The company pays a commercial rent for the 26 leased factories, the remaining factories are owned by Remploy on a freehold basis or ground lease. The Department for Work and Pensions holds a debenture on all Remploy owned property and must agree to the sale of any company property, before the debenture on that property can be released.
	The ownership status of each Remploy factory is in the following table.
	
		
			  Factory  Ownership status 
			 Aberdare Ground Lease 
			 Aberdeen Freehold 
			 Aintree Freehold 
			 Barking Ground Lease 
			 Birkenhead Ground Lease 
			 Birmingham Ground Lease 
			 Blackburn Ground Lease 
			 Bolton Freehold 
			 Brixton Freehold 
			 Brynamman Freehold 
			 Burnley Ground Lease 
			 Chesterfield Ground Lease 
			 Cleator Moor Ground Lease 
			 Clydebank Freehold 
			 Coventry Freehold 
			 Cowdenbeath Freehold 
			 Croespenmaen Freehold 
			 Derby Ground Lease 
			 Halifax Freehold 
			 Hartlepool Ground Lease 
			 Hillington Freehold 
			 Huddersfield Ground Lease 
			 Hull Freehold 
			 Leatherhead Freehold 
			 Leicester Ground Lease 
			 Leven Freehold 
			 Lydney Freehold 
			 Manchester Ground Lease 
			 Mansfield Freehold 
			 Medway Ground Lease 
			 Merythr Tydfil Ground Lease 
			 Newcastle Under Lyme Freehold 
			 Newcastle Upon Tyne Freehold 
			 Norwich Freehold 
			 Oldham Ground Lease 
			 Penzance Freehold 
			 Plymouth Ground Lease 
			 Pontefract Freehold 
			 Poole Freehold 
			 Porth Freehold 
			 Portsmouth Ground Lease 
			 Radcliffe Freehold 
			 Redruth Freehold 
			 Southampton Ground Lease 
			 Southend Freehold 
			 Springburn Ground Lease 
			 Stirling Freehold 
			 Stockton Freehold 
			 Swansea factory Freehold 
			 Wigan Freehold 
			 Woolwich Ground Lease 
			 Worksop Freehold 
			 Wrexham Freehold 
			 York Ground Lease 
			 Ystradgynlais Ground Lease 
			 Abertillery Leasehold 
			 Acton Leasehold 
			 Ashington Leasehold 
			 Barnsley Leasehold 
			 Barrow Leasehold 
			 Bradford Leasehold 
			 Bridgend Leasehold 
			 Bristol Leasehold 
			 Dundee Leasehold 
			 Edinburgh Leasehold 
			 Gateshead Leasehold 
			 New Holloway Leasehold 
			 Jarrow Leasehold 
			 Lanarkshire Leasehold 
			 Leeds Leasehold 
			 Neath Leasehold 
			 Newcastle/N Staffs Leasehold 
			 Pinxton Leasehold 
			 Preston Leasehold 
			 Sheffield Leasehold 
			 Southampton 2 Leasehold 
			 Spennymoor Leasehold 
			 St. Helens Leasehold 
			 Stockport Leasehold 
			 Sunderland Leasehold 
			 Treforest Leasehold

Social Fund

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much debt is outstanding to the Social Fund in respect of beneficiaries who no longer receive benefits from which deductions can be made; and what progress is being made in recovery of these outstanding sums.

James Plaskitt: At July 2007, £264.3 million was outstanding in social fund loans to beneficiaries no longer in receipt of benefits from which deductions can be made. This figure is, generally speaking, obviously inversely proportional to success rates in moving customers off benefits and into work
	To ensure that the recovery of theses monies continues once benefit deduction are no longer possible, these cases are in the process of being transferred to the Department's Shared Services Debt Management organisation. This transfer will be completed by the end of March 2008. This will ensure that Debt Management's specialist skills and technology can be used to the best effect to recover these loans.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are employed by his Department solely for the purpose of detecting and investigating fraudulent benefit claims.

James Plaskitt: In April 2006 the National Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) was launched to combat fraud through a more focused, sanction orientated organisation. In addition, from April 2006 we introduced new customer compliance officers to tackle low-level abuse that cannot be taken through the criminal courts.
	As at April 2007, there were 2,926 people employed by the Fraud Investigation Service. This is made up from 2,314 working in area fraud, 339 in Criminal intelligence, 232 in organised fraud and 41 in technical and support roles. The overall aim of the Department's anti-fraud strategy is to have a benefit system which is secure from first claim to final payment. The implementation of this strategy means than an anti-fraud focus is integral to the work of all staff in the Department.

State Retirement Pensions: East Midlands

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each constituency in the East Midlands received the retirement pension age addition for those aged 80 years or over in the latest period for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: The information requested is in the following table:
	
		
			  Parliamentary constituencies  State pension age addition recipients 
			 Amber Valley 4,200 
			 Ashfield 4,400 
			 Bassetlaw 3,500 
			 Blaby 4,000 
			 Bolsover 4,300 
			 Boston and Skegness 5,200 
			 Bosworth 5,000 
			 Broxtowe 4,500 
			 Charnwood 4,600 
			 Chesterfield 4,900 
			 Corby 4,000 
			 Daventry 4,100 
			 Derby North 4,500 
			 Derby South 4,000 
			 Erewash 4,900 
			 Gainsborough 4,400 
			 Gedling 4,600 
			 Grantham and Stamford 4,600 
			 Harborough 4,300 
			 High Peak 4,300 
			 Kettering 4,900 
			 Leicester East 3,000 
			 Leicester South 3,100 
			 Leicester West 2,800 
			 Lincoln 4,100 
			 Loughborough 3,500 
			 Louth and Horncastle 5,500 
			 Mansfield 4,300 
			 Newark 4,900 
			 North East Derbyshire 4,400 
			 North West Leicestershire 4400 
			 Northampton North 4,000 
			 Northampton South 4,700 
			 Nottingham East 3,000 
			 Nottingham North 3,900 
			 Nottingham South 3,300 
			 Rushcliffe 5,700 
			 Rutland and Melton 5,200 
			 Sherwood 4,300 
			 Sleaford and North Hykeham 5,500 
			 South Derbyshire 4,600 
			 South Holland and The Deepings 5,400 
			 Wellingborough 4,700 
			 West Derbyshire 5,600 
			  Notes: 1. Data is taken from the 5 per cent. extract of the Pension Service Computer System as at 30 September 2006, and the figures are subject to a degree of sampling variation. They are also adjusted to be consistent with the overall caseload from the Work and Pension Longitudinal Study. 2. The figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 3. The boundaries of parliamentary constituencies do not correspond exactly to Government Office Regions (GOR). As a result, small areas of some parliamentary constituencies listed in the table lie outside the geographical boundaries of East Midlands GOR.  Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate 5 per cent. sample, rated to caseload in Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

State Retirement Pensions: Overseas Residence

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many International Pension Centre clients are foreign nationals living in their country of birth.

Mike O'Brien: The Information requested is not available in the format requested.

Winter Fuel Payments

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many males will lose their eligibility for winter fuel payments on account of the linked rise in the state pension age for women in each year from 2010 to 2020; what the expected minimum age for resultant saving is to public funds; and what minimum age for eligibility for winter fuel payouts to persons of both sexes will be set after state pension age is harmonised.

Mike O'Brien: The minimum age at which both men and women will be able to receive a winter fuel payment will rise incrementally to 65, between 2010 and 2020, as women's state pension age rises to align with state pension age for men.
	No-one will lose eligibility for a winter fuel payment as a result of these changes. Everyone who has become eligible for a winter fuel payment will continue to receive it every winter as a substantial contribution towards the cost of their winter fuel bill.
	Some men will, however, become eligible for a winter fuel payment later than they would have done had women's state pension age not risen. The information in the following table shows the number of males in a given tax year who would have been eligible for a winter fuel payment if the state pension age for women had remained unchanged and the estimated resultant savings.
	Pensions reform as a whole is designed to improve outcomes for pensioners in the future—as a result the amount we spend on pensioners will increase substantially. In 2010 expenditure on pensions is forecast to be 5.1 per cent of gross domestic product. This will increase to 5.2 per cent. by 2020.
	
		
			  Number of males in a given tax year who would have been eligible for a winter fuel payment if the state pension age for women had remained unchanged 
			   Number of males affected in a given tax year  Estimated resultant saving to public funds (2006-07 prices) (£ million) 
			 2010-11 60,000 10 
			 2011-12 180,000 30 
			 2012-13 320,000 50 
			 2013-14 460,000 70 
			 2014-15 610,000 90 
			 2015-16 750,000 100 
			 2016-17 900,000 120 
			 2017-18 1,070,000 130 
			 2018-19 1,230,000 150 
			 2019-20 1,410,000 160 
			 2020-21 1,510,000 170 
			  Note: The caseloads in a given year reflect the number of men who would have had eligibility had the qualifying age for Winter Fuel payment remained unchanged.  Source: Estimates based on DWP forecasts and September 2006 RPWB administrative dataset, five per cent sample.

Winter Fuel Payments

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average percentage of pensioners' energy bills that was met by the winter fuel allowance in 2006; and what the estimated percentage is for 2007.

Mike O'Brien: The information is in the following table. The winter fuel allowance is intended to assist pensioners in winter to cover additional heating Bills. It is not intended to cover the whole cost. Winter fuel payments have increased from £20 in 1997-98 to the current value of £200 for households with someone aged 60 to 79 years of age, and £300 for households with someone aged 80 or over.
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07 
			 Average expenditure on fuel (£) 651 690 
			 Average winter fuel payment (£) 233 234 
			 Percentage of total fuel bill met by winter fuel payment 36 34 
			  Notes: 1. Figures for 2005-06 are based on the outturn; figures for 2006-07 are estimates based on the most recent available data and projections. Estimates for 2007-08 are not included due to the unavailability of fuel price data for the entire year. 2. Average household fuel expenditure is taken from the ONS expenditure and food survey (family spending survey) 2005-06. It is based on households where the primary respondent is aged 65 years or older.  3. Average winter fuel payments have been calculated by dividing expenditure on winter fuel payments by the number of households in receipt of winter fuel payments. 
		
	
	Between 1996-97 and 2005-06 pensioners' incomes increased by 29 per cent in real terms, compared with a 15 per cent real terms increase in utility bills between 1996-97 and 2006. It is important to note that while pensioner incomes tend to increase consistently, with two per cent. growth between 2004-05 and 2005-06 building on the growth in earlier years, utility bills tend to fluctuate.

Winter Fuel Payments: Bolsover

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners received the winter fuel allowance in Bolsover constituency in  (a) 2002,  (b) 2003,  (c) 2004,  (d) 2005 and  (e) 2006.

Mike O'Brien: Information relating to winter fuel payments from winter 2001-02 is in the following table.
	
		
			  Bolsover constituency 
			   Payments made 
			 2001-02 18,600 
			 2002-03 18,950 
			 2003-04 19,230 
			 2004-05 19,180 
			 2005-06 19,380 
			 2006-07 19,690 
			  Notes: 1. Figures rounded to the nearest ten. 2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.  Source: Information directorate 100 per cent data.

Worklessness

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the Answer of 8 October 2007,  Official Report, column 3, on worklessness, if he will place in the Library the information and sources that account for his statement that 800,000 new jobs have been taken by those who have come from outside Britain.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 15 October 2007
	 The figure of 0.8 million was a calculation of the number of foreign nationals estimated to have arrived in the United Kingdom since 1997 and be in employment (1.4 million) less the number of foreign nationals in employment in 1997 who are no longer in employment (or no longer foreign nationals) (0.6 million). Using a revised methodology we now estimate the net difference to be 1.1 million rather than 0.8 million.
	In addition, there are an estimated 0.05 million foreign nationals in employment in 2007 who were in the United Kingdom in 1997 but not in employment. Adding this figure to the 1.1 million gives a total net increase of foreign nationals in employment of 1.1 million rounded to the nearest 100,000, as set out in the answer to PQ/07/158012.
	A note placed in the Library provides an explanation of both the methodology and the sources used, as well as a broader context for changes in employment since 1997.

Further Education: Disabled

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what average fees were charged to individuals claiming incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance or disabled living allowance for each course taken by them at further education colleges in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: Adult learners on low incomes who are in receipt of income based benefits continue to be entitled to full fee remission for further education, along with those undertaking basic skills courses, first full level 2 qualifications and 19 to 25-year-olds undertaking first full level 3 qualifications. Individuals claiming IB, SDA or DLA falling within these categories are not charged a fee for further education. On the basis of information provided by the LSC, the following table sets out the average fee contribution charged to all adult learners not entitled to free further education provision, whether or not they were claiming IB, SDA or DLA, The figures show the position since 2004. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member with the information for the years between 1997/98 and 2003/04. A copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.
	
		
			   National fee contribution rate (%)  Average total fee paid for course of 60-89 glh (£)  Average total fee paid for course of 120-149 glh (£)  Average total fee paid for course of 240-269 glh (£)  Average total fee paid for course of 480-509 glh (£) 
			 2004/05 25 92.34 170.48 236.50 598.45 
			 2005/06 27.5 106.66 196.90 330.90 691.20 
			 2006/07 32.5 130.33 240.61 404.37 844.66 
			 2007/08 37.5 152.81 282.10 474.08 990.28 
			 2008/09 42.5 177.51 327.71 550.72 1,150.38 
			 2009/10 47.5 203.36 375.42 630.90 1,317.86 
			 2010/11 50 219.41 405.05 680.71 1,421.90

Natural Environment Research Council: Information Officers

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many press officers are employed by the Natural Environment Research Council.

Ian Pearson: The Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC) employs five full-time press officers and one part-time press officer. The part-time and one full-time officer are employed at NERC's administrative headquarters in Swindon, the others at NERC's wholly-owned research centres.

Office for Science and Innovation

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what plans he has to maintain the Office for Science and Innovation.

Ian Pearson: The responsibilities of the former Office of Science and Innovation have been inherited by the Government Office for Science and the Science and Innovation Group, both of which form part of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Pirbright Laboratory: Disease Control

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  whether he had been informed that the drainage system at the Pirbright laboratory site posed a risk to biosecurity prior to the foot and mouth outbreak; whether he received any representations on the risk to biosecurity of the drainage system and effluent pipes at Pirbright; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations he received from  (a) the Institute for Animal Health,  (b) Merial,  (c) the Biotechnology and Biological Research Council,  (d) the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and  (e) other sources on biosecurity at the Pirbright laboratory facility prior to the recent foot and mouth disease outbreak;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the Pirbright laboratory facility;
	(4)  what his responsibilities are in relation to the Pirbright laboratory facility; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Prior to the foot and mouth outbreak this summer, I was not informed of any risk to biosecurity posed by the drainage system at Pirbright and I did not receive any representations from the Institute for Animal Health, Merial, the Biotechnology and Biological Research Council or the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. I met with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs about the Pirbright facility shortly before his announcement on 7 September.
	The Pirbright laboratory is part of the independent Institute for Animal Health (IAH), a company limited by guarantee with charitable status. The trustees/non-executive directors of IAH have a range of relevant expertise. IAH is regulated directly by DEFRA and the Health and Safety Executive. IAH is sponsored, as are six other research institutes, by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) a non-departmental public body whose parent department is the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).

Princes Trust: Apprentices

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what discussions he has had with representatives of the Prince's Trust on the roll out of the Trust's Get Into work-based scheme to provide apprenticeships in the construction, retail and hospitality sectors for the lowest academically achieving school leavers; and what discussions he has held with his counterparts in the devolved administrations in respect of the Get Into scheme.

Bill Rammell: The Prince's Trust is meeting the Learning and Skills Council national office on 30 October to discuss the "Get Into" scheme and how it relates to public funded work-based training schemes. I would be happy to receive a representation from the Prince's Trust if they wish to write to me.

Renewable Energy: Seas and Oceans

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps he is taking to improve the UK's international competitiveness in technologies for mechanical and thermal renewable energy from the sea.

Ian Pearson: The Government recognise the potential for marine energy and has put in place a number of measures that support the research and development of marine renewable energy technologies.
	These include commitments of over £35 million since 1999 towards innovative, industry-led development of marine renewable energy technologies (of which over £13 million was committed under the Technology Strategy Board's Technology Programme, launched in 2004) and a further £50 million under the BERR 'Marine Renewables Deployment Fund' that will support the first larger-scale multi-device demonstration projects.
	Additionally, Research Councils have committed over £5.4 million since the year 2000 on research and related training specifically relevant to the area of wave and tidal power.
	Other initiatives supported include the £15 million European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney and the £28 million South West Regional Development Agency's 'Wave Hub' project that will provide the infrastructure for the first pre-commercial wave farms.
	We are also currently considering banding the renewables obligation, Government's main mechanism for incentivising the supply of renewable energy, to provide further market-based support these emerging technologies.
	Collectively, these make up the most comprehensive package of measures to support the development of marine energy technologies anywhere in the world.

Sustainable Development

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the answer of 12 July,  Official Report, column 1622W, on sustainable development, how many and what proportion of further education college capital projects in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07 and  (c) 2007-08 received the additional cost allowance of 10 per cent. for sustainability aspects; and what proportion of the building costs this amounted to in each case.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 15 October 2007
	The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) announced the additional 10 per cent. cost allowance for elements within buildings that address sustainability issues in October 2006—and as stated in the answer of 12 July,  Official Report, column 1622W—would come into effect fully from September 2007. As such, data is only available in part for 2006-07 and only up to the present for 2007-08.
	However, in order to qualify for LSC capital funds, all capital project proposals now need to address sustainable development. Therefore the majority of projects qualify for the 10 per cent. costs uplift. Since October 2006 the LSC has given detailed approval to projects costing £371 million and currently estimates that at least £30 million of these costs apply to sustainability related items.
	Exact figures on the number and proportion of further education college capital projects which have received the additional cost allowance and what proportion of the building costs this amounted to in each case are held by the LSC. I have therefore asked Mark Haysom, the LSC Chief Executive to write to my hon. Member with the information requested and place a copy of his reply in the House Library.

Training: Loans

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people took out career developments loans in  (a) 2004-05,  (b) 2005-06 and  (c) 2006-07; how many of these were taking (i) level 2 and (ii) level 3 qualifications; how many were taking qualifications higher than level 3; what the average size was of the loan; for what period of study it was granted; and what the total sum (A) budgeted and (B) disbursed was in each year.

Bill Rammell: Career Development Loans (CDLs) are a successful programme administered by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to help individuals finance vocational learning of their choice. Loan capital is provided by three high street banks.
	We do not hold all the information requested. Details of level of qualifications and period of study are not recorded centrally. However, a CDL can be used to fund up to a maximum of two years study plus up to one year of practical experience. We also estimate that 25 per cent. of loans in any one year, are taken out to support HE courses, primarily postgraduate courses.
	Available details of loans in each of the three years are set out in the table as follows.
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Number of loans 15,273 17,841 13,502 
			 Total loan value (£ million)(1) 69.01 85,9 71.5 
			 Average loan value (£) 4,518 4,815 5,296 
			 Budget (£ million)(2) 17.5 20,1 19.1 
			 Actual expenditure (£ million)(3) 16.0 19.6 22.5 
			 (1 )Total loan value = loan capital lent by participating banks. (2 )Budget = public funds disbursed through DIUS (formerly DfES) and LSC. (3 )Actual expenditure = public funds expended.

Training: Teachers

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the average  (a) training and  (b) student support cost was to train (i) a science teacher, (ii) a maths teacher and (iii) another teacher in their year of teacher training in the most recent period for which figures are available; and from which budgets the funding was drawn.

Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
	The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) does not collect or hold information on how much ft costs a university or other initial teacher training (ITT) provider to train a teacher. While the TDA allocates and pays funding to ITT providers, it is a matter for them to determine how they deploy that funding and other income received by them for the provision of teacher training.
	The following table shows the unit of funding allocated and paid by the TDA in the academic year 2007/08 for a one year mathematics, one year science and, by the way of comparison, a one year geography postgraduate ITT course. This is the national rate and rates for London based ITT will be higher (5 per cent. higher for outer London and 8 per cent. higher for inner London).
	
		
			  £ 
			  Subject  Unit of funding  Bursary 
			 Science 5,630 9,000 
			 Maths 5,060 9,000 
			 Other secondary 4,900 6,000 
		
	
	The TDA also pays a number of additional recruitment premiums to encourage providers to recruit extra maths and science, especially physics and chemistry, trainees. All of this funding comes from the grant that this Department gives to the TDA for this purpose. In addition to the funding paid by the TDA, providers can also charge up to £3,070 (dependent on their access agreement) in tuition fees from individual trainees.
	The average cost of providing maintenance and fee support to English domiciled postgraduate ITT students in the academic year 2006/07 was provisionally £3,670 for full timers and £1,630 for part-timers(1). This is found from the support budgets of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, The subject studied for ITT does not affect the support given.
	(1 )Support is provided in the form of grants and loans. The cost of loans is calculated using the resource accounting budget (RAB) charge of 21 per cent. for maintenance loans and 33 per cent. for fee loans. This excludes supplementary grants and allowances, e.g. for students with disabilities, students with dependents, those incurring certain travel costs and those who have recently left care. Part-time students receive the pro-rated equivalent of full-time support. The part-time figure will include those who started in 2005/06 as well as those who entered under more generous arrangements in 2006/07.

Young People: Employment

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many school leavers in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England were (i) employed and (ii) unemployed for (A) less and (B) more than six months after the completion of their GCSEs in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: The Department's information on school leavers is collected through the annual activity survey undertaken by Connexions Services and Careers Service Companies and cannot be analysed in the exact format requested.
	However, we can give an indication of the number and proportion of year 11 leavers taken at 1 November in the year that they leave school and this is in the tables attached. Information cannot be broken down by parliamentary constituency, and figures for Jarrow are not available. Information is available at local authority level after 2001. Data from 1997-2000 is only available by Careers Company area and the figures for these yearn show Tyneside as a whole.
	
		
			1997  1998  1999  2000 
			  Area  Activity on 1 November in the year of leaving school  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 England Total number of leavers 561,307 — 555,269 — 563,877 — 570,279 — 
			  Employment 64,119 11.4 66,403 12,0 67,221 11.9 68,920 12.1 
			  Unemployed - active in the labour market 30,167 5.4 31,172 5.6 30,541 5.4 28,335 5.0 
			  Unemployed - not active in the labour market 6,254 1.1 7,000 1.3 7,970 1.4 7,225 1.3 
			 North East Total number of Leavers 32,896 — 32,065 — 32,750 — 32,468 — 
			  Employment 2,960 9.0 3,139 9.8 3,127 9.5 2,916 9.0 
			  Unemployed - active in the labour market 2,762 8.6 2,650 8.3 2,791 8.5 2,325 7.2 
			  Unemployed - not active in the labour market 522 1.6 898 2.8 884 2.7 436 1.3 
			 Tyneside(1) Total number of leavers 9,732 — 9,467 — 9,669 — 9,737 — 
			  Employment 754 7.7 821 8.7 847 8.8 841 8.6 
			  Unemployed - active in the labour market 1,002 10.6 919 9.7 1,100 11.4 930 9.6 
			  Unemployed - not active in the labour market 103 1,1 80 0.8 91 0.9 71 0.7 
			  Note:  Data includes both North and South Tyneside 
		
	
	
		
			2001  2002  2003 
			  Area  Activity on 1 November in the year of leaving school  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 England Total number of Leavers 582,886 — 592,329 — 608,771 — 
			  Employment 69,852 12.0 66,437 11.2 68,211 11.2 
			  Unemployed - active in the labour market 29,343 5,0 34,347 5,9 40,104 6.9 
			  Unemployed - not active in the labour market 6,905 1.2 4,973 0.9 4,539 0.8 
			 North East Total number of Leavers 33,636 — 33,927 — 34,371 — 
			  Employment 3,028 9.0 2,893 8.5 2,937 8.5 
			  Unemployed - active in the labour market 2,345 7,0 2,808 8.3 3,422 10.2 
			  Unemployed - not active in the labour market 568 1.7 437 1.3 304 0.9 
			 South Tyneside Total number of Leavers 2,099 — 2,246 — 2,187 — 
			  Employment 248 11.8 172 7.7 187 8.6 
			  Unemployed - active in the labour market 189 9.0 196 9.3 220 10.5 
			  Unemployed - not active in the labour market 21 1.0 21 1.0 24 1.1 
		
	
	
		
			2004  2005  2006 
			Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 England Total number of Leavers 625,998 — 618,273 — 630,558 — 
			  Employment 69,578 11.1 59,417 9.6 54,932 8.7 
			  Unemployed - active in the labour market 36,282 6.2 36,522 6.3 34,568 5.9 
			  Unemployed - not active in the labour market 4,491 0.8 4,443 0.8 4,235 0.7 
			 North East Total number of Leavers 34,830 — 32,971 — 33,498 — 
			  Employment 3,048 88 2,654 8.0 2,639 7.9 
			  Unemployed - active in the labour market 2,790 8.3 2J86 8.3 2,487 7.4 
			  Unemployed - not active in the labour market 329 1.0 329 1.0 309 0.9 
			 South Tyneside Total number of Leavers 2,141 — 2,025 — 2,060 — 
			  Employment 178 8.3 210 10.4 190 9.2 
			  Unemployed - active in the labour market 160 7.6 161 7.7 131 6.2 
			  Unemployed - not active in the labour market 34 1.6 13 0.6 20 1.0

Approved Premises: Reoffenders

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1153W, on approved premises: re-offenders, on what basis the effectiveness of approved premises (bail or probation hostels) is measured.

David Hanson: The effectiveness of Approved Premises is measured in a number of ways.
	An annual audit is conducted in every Approved Premises against a set of national performance improvement standards. The audit is scored using prescribed criteria, and Approved Premises managers are required to produce action plans in relation to any area of work where there is scope for further improvement. The second round of performance improvement audits has recently been completed, and the scores are currently being validated by the NOMS Performance Improvement Unit.
	Additionally, each Approved Premises is required to submit to the NOMS Public Protection Unit a monthly return (known as the H1) containing performance data and relevant management information. The H1 returns capture data about occupancy levels, departures, drug testing and the profile of the resident group.
	HM Inspectorate of Probation is presently undertaking a thematic inspection of Approved Premises. The field work will be completed by the end of 2007, with the final report to be published during the early part of 2008.

Contact Orders

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many contact orders were made in each year since 1997; in how many of these cases contact was taking place  (a) one,  (b) two and  (c) three or more years after the contact order was made; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The number of contact orders made in both public and private law in each year from 2000 is in the following table. Figures for 2006 will be published in the "Judicial Statistics" report, planned for release in late November. Data for earlier years is not available. It is not possible to identify from court records what contact takes place after a final order has been made and the court does not routinely review contact orders after the proceedings have ended.
	Provisions in the Children and Adoption Act 2006 enable the court when making a family assistance order to require the CAFCASS officer or a Welsh family proceedings officer, appointed to work with the family, to report on such matters in relation to any contact order in force as the court may direct. These provisions, which also extend the maximum duration of a family assistance order to 12 months, were implemented on 1 October 2007.
	Other provisions in the Children and Adoption Act 2006, when enacted, will enable the court to require a CAFCASS officer or a Welsh family proceedings officer to monitor contact for a period of up to 12 months in appropriate cases.
	The Ministry of Justice has carried out research "Making Contact Happen or Making Contact work: The process and outcomes of in-court conciliation". The report was published in March 2006 and can be found at http://www.dca.gov.uk/research/2006/03_2006.pdf The aim of the research was to identify the overall effectiveness of in-court conciliation in contact cases as well as the relative success of the three contrasting models of conciliation.
	Between six and nine months after a contact order was made, a fifth of agreements had not worked at all, most agreements were intact or had been extended, most cases were closed with low relitigation rates, many more children were having increased contact and more parents were satisfied with the quality and quantity of contact.
	
		
			  Number of contact orders made 
			   Public law  Private law 
			 2000 2,155 46,070 
			 2001 2,325 55,030 
			 2002 3,483 61,356 
			 2003 2,825 67,184 
			 2004 2,406 70,169 
			 2005 1,950 60,294

Departments: Legislation

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he has assessed the necessity of bringing forward amendments to Schedule 1 of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 to delete references to the Department for Constitutional Affairs and include references to the Ministry of Justice.

Maria Eagle: We are aware of the need to make a small number of changes to Schedule 1 of the 2007 Act to reflect changes in the machinery of Government that have taken place after that part of the legislation was settled in Parliament. These include the deletion of the reference to the Department of Constitutional Affairs and inclusion of a reference to the Ministry of Justice. We are planning to bring forward secondary legislation under the 2007 Act to make the necessary changes before the planned commencement of the majority of the Act next April.

Departments: Manpower

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were employed by his Department and its predecessor on 1 January in each of the last five years; and how many of these staff were  (a) permanent employees,  (b) temporary staff and  (c) contractors.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice was created on 9 May 2007, bringing together the Department for Constitutional Affairs, the National Offender Management Service, the Prison and Probation Services, and the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. The figures in the following table reflects the position prior to this machinery of government change and provides data for the Ministry of Justice' constituent organisations at the nearest dates available to those requested, however the NOMS, HMPS and OCJR figures are included as part of the response to the same question from the Home Office.
	The breakdown of permanent and temporary/casual employees has been published as part of the First Release since Quarter 1 (March) 2007. This is the key official source of work force numbers for the civil service and provides a breakdown of permanent and temporary/casual employees by Department. The number of permanent and fixed term appointments in each year that records are available is set out in the following table.
	My Department has a national contract with Kelly Services Ltd. for the provision of agency staff. Information regarding the average number of staff employed through this agency appears in the following table. Information relating to workers employed through other employment agencies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information related to agencies of DCA is also included in the following table showing the average number of staff employed through employment agencies by each of the DCA's agencies. HM Land Registry does not hold such information centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Statistics on the number of contractors employed by Departments are not published.
	The civil service statistics represent those employees paid directly from the Department's payroll. Any contractors employed via agencies and so not paid directly by the Department are not included.
	
		
			   Department and public body  Total permanent staff (headcount)  Total fixed term staff (headcount)  Total agency workers (headcount)  Total staff (civil service and agency) 
			 1 April 2003 (FTA figure) (DCA) LCD/Court Service 12,230 470 283 12,983 
			  Public Guardianship Office 310 0 100 410 
			 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 (Agency figure) HM Land Registry 8,940 110 n/a 9,050 
			  National Archives 530 30 199 759 
			   
			 1 April 2004 (FTA figure) (DCA) Court Service/Wales Office 12,460 500 395 13,355 
			  Public Guardianship Office 290 0 80 370 
			 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005 (Agency figure) HM Land Registry 8,680 40 n/a 8,720 
			  National Archives 530 40 121 691 
			   
			 1 April 2005 (FTA figure) (DCA)/HM Court Service/Wales office/Scotland Office (including Office of the Advocate-General) 13,260 570 722 14,552 
			  Public Guardianship Office 350 0 74 424 
			 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006 (Agency figure) HM Land Registry 8,580 30 n/a 8,610 
			  National Archives 560 50 167 777 
			   
			 As at 30 September 2006 (Agency figure) DCA (excluding agencies)/HMCS Court Service/Tribunals/Wales Office/Scotland Office 27,300 660 n/a 27,960 
			  Public Guardianship Office 340 10 n/a 350 
			  HM Land Registry 8,270 30 n/a 8,300 
			  National Archives 560 30 n/a 590 
			 1 March 2007 (FTA figure) DCA (excluding agencies)/HMCS Court Service/Tribunals/Wales Office/Scotland Office/HM Land Registry/National Archives/Public Guardianship Office 36,090 800 360 37,250 
			 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 (Agency figure)  
			 n/a = Not available.  Note: Figures excludes data for NOMS, OCJR and HM Prison Service—these are included in the Home Office response for the same question.

Departments: Official Hospitality

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent by his Department, and its predecessor, on official hospitality in the last 12 months.

Maria Eagle: The amount of hospitality expenditure incurred by the former Department for Constitutional Affairs, which covers costs for Her Majesty's Courts Service, Tribunals Service, Public Guardianship Office and DCA Headquarters, for 2006-07 was £46,002. These figures are from the published Resource Accounts for 2006-07.
	Home Office have confirmed that they have also given resource accounts figures for the last financial year, which includes ex-Home Office areas now within MoJ.
	All hospitality expenditure incurred by the Department is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, which are based on the principles set out in Government Accounting and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Human Trafficking

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans the Government have to extend the provision of supported housing for victims of human trafficking.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice funds the Poppy project to provide adult women trafficked into sexual exploitation with secure accommodation, one-to-one intensive crisis support, outreach support and a resettlement service. This year an additional £100,000 was invested to top-up the £2.4million grant, to increase the capacity of the project during the national enforcement campaign Pentameter 2.
	Victims who claim asylum are eligible for asylum support and may benefit from the Poppy project outreach service. Additionally some victims are accommodated though other local voluntary and community sector organisations or where eligible through local authorities.
	The United Kingdom is signatory to the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, which sets out minimum obligations in relation to the protection and support of all identified victims of trafficking. The Government are committed to implementing these measures which will enhance existing support arrangements.

Licensing Act 1964

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were  (a) prosecuted and  (b) convicted under (i) section 172, (ii) section 172a and (iii) section 173 of the Licensing Act 1964 in each year since 1997; and how many landlords have had their licences revoked due to breach of these provisions.

Maria Eagle: The number of people proceeded against at magistrates court and found guilty at all courts under (i) section 172, (ii) section 172a and (iii) section 173 of the Licensing Act 1964 can be found in the following table.
	Court proceedings data for 2006 will be available in late November 2007.
	The Licensing Act 2003 repealed the Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 Act when it came into effect on 24 November 2005.
	Statistical bulletins published by the Department of Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) on licences to sell alcohol include the number of licences revoked, but do not indicate why.
	More information can be found on the DCMS website.
	
		
			  Number of people proceeded against at magistrates court and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Licensing Act 196 sections 172, 172A, and 173, in England and Wales for the years 1997 to 2005( 1, 2, 3, 4,) 
			   Statute  Offence description  Statute  Offence description  Statute  Offence description 
			   Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 Schedule (Sec 3) para 6. Licensing Act 1964 Sec 172  Holder of permission not to allow drunkenness etc. Permitting drunkenness or riotous conduct on the premises or selling liquor to a drunken person  Licensing Act 1964 Sec 172A as added by Criminal Justice & Police Act 2001 S.32  Relevant person working in licensed premises to permit drunkenness or violent behaviour etc  Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 Schedule (Sec 3) para 7. Licensing Act 1964 Sec 173  Procuring drink for drunken person. Person in licensed premises procuring intoxicating liquor for a drunken person or aiding a drunken person to obtain drink 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 1997 9 4 0 0 3 2 
			 1998 22 11 0 0 5 3 
			 1999 13 10 0 0 2 1 
			 2000 10 2 0 0 0 0 
			 2001 10 5 0 0 0 0 
			 2002 7 4 1 0 1 0 
			 2003 8 6 0 0 1 0 
			 2004 13 6 0 0 0 0 
			 2005 10 4 0 0 1 1 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) The Licensing Act 2003 repealed the Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 Act when it came into effect. (4) Staffordshire Police Force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.  Source:  Court proceedings database held by RDS—OCJR, Ministry of Justice

Pre-trial Proceedings

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average time was between a person charged with an offence being brought to court in  (a) England,  (b) Wales and  (c) Gwent in the last 12 months.

Maria Eagle: For magistrates court criminal cases completed in 2006, the average time taken from the date of charge to the date of first listing in the magistrates courts were as follows:
	
		
			   Days 
			  (a) England 9 
			  (b) Wales 8 
			  (c) Gwent 12 
		
	
	The figures are from the Ministry of Justice's Time Intervals Survey (TIS).
	The following table provides further information on the average time taken between all stages of proceedings for defendants in completed criminal cases in magistrates courts where the proceedings were initiated by charge. Proceedings initiated by a summons are not included in any of the figures provided.
	
		
			  Average time taken between stages of proceedings for defendants in completed criminal cases in magistrates courts where the proceedings were initiated by charge. Data is for 2006 and is presented for Gwent, Wales, England, and England and Wales 
			  Charged cases only 
			   Offence to charge  Charge to first listing in magistrates court  First listing to completion of case in magistrates court  Offence to completion in magistrates court  
			   Average number of days  Margin of error (+/-days)  Average number of days  Margin of error (+/-days)  Average number of days  Margin of error (+/-days)  Average number of days  Margin of error (+/-days)  Sample size (number of defendants) 
			 Gwent 32 6 12 1 57 7 100 9 394 
			 Wales 41 4 8 0 43 3 92 5 2,445 
			 England 40 1 9 0 52 1 100 1 42,408 
			 England and Wales 40 1 9 0 51 1 100 1 44,853 
			  Notes: 1. The Time Intervals Survey (TIS) is a sample survey that produces estimates of the average time taken between stages of proceedings for defendants in completed criminal cases in magistrates courts. 2. Results are based on proceedings in one sample week in March, June, September and December for all charged cases (adults and youth/PYO defendants). Defendants who were summonsed to magistrates courts are not included in this analysis. 3. The margin of error is a measure of the precision of a result based on a sample survey. Timeliness in magistrates courts is measured using data from a sample of the total number of defendants. The sample provides one estimate of the average time taken and different samples would produce different average times. The true value is likely to fall within the range of the sample result +/- the margin of error. 4. Both adult and youth defendants included in the one week sample survey are included. 5. First listing refers to the first listed hearing of the case in the magistrates court. 6. More detailed results and notes from the Time Intervals Survey are published in a National Statistics Bulletin at http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/timeintervals.htm  Source: Time Intervals Survey, Ministry of Justice.

Prisoners: HIV Infection

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the  (a) number and  (b) percentage of prisoners infected with (i) HIV, (ii) hepatitis B and (iii) hepatitis C in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The last major study of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C prevalence in prisoners in England and Wales found that of 3,942 prisoners surveyed in 1997 and 1998, 0.4 per cent. were infected with HIV, 8 per cent. with Hepatitis B and 7 per cent. with Hepatitis C.
	 Source:
	Prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C antibodies in prisoners in England and Wales: a national survey.
	Weild A.R., Gill O.N., Bennett D., Livingstone S.J.M., Parry J.V., Curran L. (2000). Communicable Disease and Public Health 2000;3:121-6.

Solicitors Regulation Authority: Complaints

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the complaint procedure is for a solicitor's firm against the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Bridget Prentice: The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has provided me with the following information.
	Solicitors who are not satisfied with the handling of their matter can complain to the team manager of the unit that dealt with their matter. The next stage, if still unsatisfied, would be for the solicitor to write to the Quality consultant located in the SRA for a review of the matter. The final route would be to ask the Legal Services ombudsman who is independent of the SRA to review the case.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many children were detained in custody after their earliest release date due to a lack of other accommodation in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The data requested is not collected centrally and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost as it would be necessary to analyse the early release records of all under-18 custodial establishments manually.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will assess whether any children were refused early release because the Youth Justice Board failed to keep its guidance and forms up to date in the last two years.

David Hanson: The Youth Justice Board (YJB) believes all establishments follow the most up to date rules and has no evidence to suggest that young people have been denied early release because of out of date guidance or forms.
	Revised guidance setting out new criteria for the electronically monitored early release of young people serving a detention and training order was circulated to the governors of young offenders institutes, directors of secure children's home and directors of secure training centres in May 2002. A slightly amended version of this guidance (which did not change the criteria) was circulated in May 2003.

Afghanistan: Drugs

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to end the illegal drugs trade in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: As Afghanistan's G8 "partner nation" on counter narcotics, the UK is helping the Afghan Government to improve the implementation of their National Drug Control Strategy, spending £290 million over three years on counter narcotics measures.
	In August, my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, announced the UK's new package of activities, aimed at tackling the drugs trade in Afghanistan. This includes:
	enhanced interdiction, to disrupt the operations of influential traffickers and weaken their links to the insurgency. We will be allocating an additional £22.5 million for the Afghan interdiction forces;
	greater focus on military support to counter narcotics. We will be working with the International Security Assistance Force to do more to maximise military support for counter narcotics operations within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation rules of engagement;
	more support for counter narcotics criminal justice. The UK announced an extra £2 million at the Rome Rule of Law Conference in June;
	better eradication. Afghan eradication forces need to improve. We will be working with the United States to assist them;
	expanding the Good Performers Initiative to provide an incentive for governors to reduce cultivation in their provinces. We will be putting in £3.3 million; and
	an extensive Afghan Government information campaign designed to convince farmers not to plant poppy. This is currently under way.

Aung San Suu Kyi

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent diplomatic steps he has taken on the imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Meg Munn: My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and senior officials have repeatedly called for the Burmese regime to release all political prisoners and remaining political detainees without condition, including Aung San Suu Kyi.
	Working with our partners on the UN Security Council and in the EU, we helped ensure that both the UN Security Council Presidential Statement issued on 11 October and the European Council conclusions on 18 October called for the regime to begin a dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi.
	We are encouraged that UN Special Envoy Professor Ibrahim Gambari was able to meet Aung San Suu Kyi on 30 September and that since then Aung San Suu Kyi has been allowed to leave her residence and meet with Burmese Government officials. Professor Gambari returns to Rangoon shortly and we hope we shall soon see the start of a genuine process of national reconciliation in which Aung San Suu Kyi plays a full part.

Burma: Detainees

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what steps he has taken to encourage the  (a) protection and  (b) release of protestors imprisoned following recent events in Burma;
	(2)  what recent steps he has taken to encourage the Burmese Government to improve their observance of human rights.

Meg Munn: My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and I have repeatedly called for the Burmese regime to release all political prisoners and remaining political detainees without condition and to respect the human rights of Burmese citizens. Our ambassador in Rangoon travelled to the new capital, Pyinmana, on 25 September and 23 October to emphasise these messages.
	We have pushed the regime to allow the entry of United Nations Special rapporteur on Human Rights, Professor Sergio Pinheiro, to the country to make his own assessment of the human rights situation in the country, including the welfare of political prisoners. We worked with EU partners to ensure that the special session of the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on Burma on 2 October, including a call on the regime to admit Professor Pinheiro.
	We note that the regime announced on 23 October that Professor Pinheiro would be allowed to enter Burma to begin this work.

Burma: Human Rights

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what steps the Government have taken to strengthen mechanisms for the reporting of human rights violations in Burma;
	(2)  what recent assessment the Government have made of the human rights situation in Burma.

Meg Munn: Human Rights is at the heart of our Burma policy. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made a written ministerial statement on 8 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 12-15WS, on the situation in Burma. He issued a further statement on 11 October in response to the presidential statement, unanimously adopted by the UN Security Council on 11 October, which the UK co-sponsored. This was the first formal action ever taken by the Security Council on Burma and called upon the Government of Burma to release all political prisoners and take all other measures to address human rights issues.
	A compilation of the information we have on the recent human rights violations in Burma has been placed on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website. It was updated on 15 October.
	The belated decision of the Burmese Government on 23 October to agree to a visit by the UN Secretary-General's special rapporteur for human rights in Burma, Professor Sergio Pinheiro is a positive step. We hope Professor Pinheiro will be able to visit soon and call upon the Burmese regime to co-operate fully with him so that he is able to fulfil the mandate of the Human Rights Council Resolution passed on 2 October. The resolution, sponsored by the EU, with the strong support of the UK, expressed deep concern about the situation in Burma. In our statement to the Human Rights Council, we drew attention to the regime's violations, including restrictions on the freedom of speech and association, and the suffering of Burma's ethnic communities. We have voiced our concern about the lack of co-operation the Burmese government has given to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and call on the regime to grant urgent access to the ICRC so that they can resume their much needed activities in supporting human rights on the ground.
	On 15 October, the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council called for a thorough and impartial investigation of the deaths of demonstrators, imprisonment of protesters and other continuing violations of human rights. In response to the Burmese government's failure to exercise restraint in their treatment of the demonstrators, the Council of the EU agreed to implement stronger restrictive measures against the regime. The strengthened measures include a ban on the import of metals, minerals, timber and semi-precious stones and a ban on investment in these sectors. These measures are designed to target the interests of the Generals, rather than harm the people of Burma.
	Earlier this year, a memorandum of understanding was agreed between the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Burmese government which allows civilians to report on forced labour cases to the ILO representative in Rangoon. We hope the ILO will be able to continue working without interference by the regime.
	We consistently raise human rights with the Burmese regime and we have pushed for strong resolutions on Burma at the Human Rights Council and UN General Assembly, Third Committee. Our ambassador in Rangoon has also highlighted our concerns in his meetings with the Burmese government on an ongoing basis, most recently on 24 October.

Democracy

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to promote the principles of democracy in countries governed by dictators, military forces or single party structures.

Kim Howells: The UK is committed to promoting democratic principles and values around the world. Our approach is grounded in our support for upholding universal human rights standards to which all countries are bound. Countries currently governed by dictators, military forces and by a single party structure usually have a poor record of non-compliance with human rights norms, denying rights such as freedom of expression, assembly, association, movement or information, on which democracy is built. We and our European partners regularly raise human rights concerns directly with these governments and in international bodies.
	In this context, we welcome the decision of the Burmese government to agree to a visit by the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro. We hope he will be able to visit soon to fulfil the mandate of the special session of the UN Human Rights Council on 2 October.
	We also actively promote human rights and the development of the foundations of democratic societies through project assistance, including through the Government's support for the Westminster Foundation for Democracy. Details of their work can be found on their website: www.wfd.org. We also support development of civil society. For example, the Government have given £500,000 over three years for grass-roots support to civil society organisations in Burma; and a programme of £3 million has been established to help build the foundations for democracy in local level political decision-making bodies in that country.
	Further information on the Government's work on human rights, democracy and governance can be found in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2006 Annual Report on Human Rights. Copies of the report are available in the Libraries of both Houses.

Departments: Road Traffic Offences

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many fixed penalty tickets were incurred by vehicles within the purview of his Department in the last year for which figures are available; and what the total cost was.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Services home fleet of vehicles have incurred 27 fixed penalty charges at a cost of £1,620.00 from January 2007. It is not possible to collate the information relevant to the FCO's overseas fleets without incurring disproportionate cost.
	All of the drivers employed by FCO Services are required to abide by the law at all times, they are held personally responsible for any speeding or other driving offences they may commit.
	In respect of vehicles provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, (Jim Fitzpatrick), gave to him on 18 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 1185-86W.

Diplomatic Service: Defence Export Services Organisation

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Defence Export Services Organisation first secretaries there are in UK embassies and high commissions; and what plans there are to change that number.

Bob Ainsworth: I have been asked to reply.
	The Defence Export Services Organisation has 13 First Secretary posts in British embassies and high commissions. From next spring it is planned to reduce the number to 12.

Entry Clearances: Telephone Services

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of suspending the UK visas advice line in 2007.

Kim Howells: There has been minimal effect since the suspension of the UKvisas advice line. During the closure period, UKvisas has been providing an enhanced email service, replying to inquiries within 24 hours and whenever possible the same day. UKvisas has received very few complaints.

EU Reform: Treaties

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will bring forward legislative proposals to repeal section 2 (1) of the European Communities Act 1972 if the EU Reform Treaty comes into effect.

Jim Murphy: No. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said on 22 October
	"if we secure all the detailed amendments that we have sought and that are in the text at the moment, we are prepared to sign the treaty and recommend to the House that the [Reform] Treaty be ratified".
	The Reform Treaty cannot come into effect unless and until all 27 member states have ratified it in accordance with their constitutional arrangements. If section 2(1) of the European Communities Act 1972 were repealed, the UK would not only be unable to ratify the Reform Treaty, we would not be able to comply with our commitments under the EU Treaties generally.

Maldives: Politics and Government

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with President Gayom of the Maldives at the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in Kampala concerns on progress on the Road Map to Reform in the Maldives.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no current plans to meet with President Gayoom at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala, Uganda in November.
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made to the House on 17 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 939-42.
	I highlighted the UK's "excellent relationships with the Maldives, bilaterally and through our shared membership of the Commonwealth". I made clear that although there had been positive developments on the reform process to adopt a new constitution and establish multi-party democracy in Maldives, much further work remained. In a series of meetings since the summer with President Gayoom, his Ministers and the Maldives Democratic Party, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and senior officials have urged all to redouble their efforts to implement reform. This will be vital in order to meet the 30 November deadline for concluding the new constitution and to lay the groundwork for presidential elections in 2008.

Mansour Osanlou

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the government of Iran to ensure that Mansour Osanloo, the gaoled leader of the bus workers' union in Tehran, receives proper medical care for his eye condition; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: According to a 23 October report from Amnesty International, Mansour Ossanlou (the detained president of the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company) finally underwent an eye operation in a Tehran hospital on 20 October, where his family were allowed to visit him. We believe he returned to Evin prison on 25 October. We remain concerned about the treatment of prisoners in Iran, including lack of access to legal representation and medical treatment. In a meeting with the Iranian Ambassador on 16 July I raised specific concerns about the treatment of Mr. Ossanlou and urged Iran to ensure that he is treated well and in accordance with his rights.
	Mr. Ossanlou has been arrested and detained several times over the last two years for his involvement in peaceful industrial action by the bus worker's union. We have serious concerns about Iran's commitment to uphold its international obligations with regard to freedom of expression, freedom of association and the right to form or join trade unions. We are following Mr. Ossanlou's situation closely, and will continue to raise our concerns with the Iranian authorities, bilaterally and through the EU.

Pakistan: Entry Clearances

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an assessment of the extent to which the geographical distribution of posts in Pakistan where visa applications are dealt with matches the geographical distribution of the residences of those making applications; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I refer my right hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister for Europe (Mr. Murphy) gave to him on 24 October 2007,  Official Report, column 359W.
	Moreover, an assessment could be made only by examination of individual visa application forms and this would incur disproportionate cost.

Republic of Ireland: Honours

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 October 2007,  Official Report, column 53W, on the Republic of Ireland: honours, by what date it was necessary for persons referred to in his reply to have notified the Secretary of State of their intention to remain a British subject.

Meg Munn: As long as the person was born in Ireland before 1 January 1949, there is no deadline on notifying the Secretary of State for the Home Department of their intentions to remain a British Subject.

Sri Lanka: Politics and Government

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the  (a) security and  (b) human rights situation in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We remain deeply concerned about the security situation in Sri Lanka. We have made clear our view that violence will not resolve the conflict. We have emphasised our willingness to assist efforts to help bring about a peaceful solution. We continue to stress to the Government of Sri Lanka the need to set out a credible framework for a negotiated settlement that can satisfy the legitimate aspirations of all Sri Lankans.
	We continue to raise our concerns about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. My noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, did so most recently last month with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Bogollagama. There are reports of serious abuses by Government forces as well as by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Karuna faction. Abuses include extra-judicial killings, disappearances and the use of child soldiers. Addressing human rights violations is a central part of our approach to finding a long-term solution to the conflict. We believe it is vital that reports of human rights violations in Sri Lanka are investigated fully and that those responsible are brought to justice. We have supported calls by the EU for the introduction of a UN-backed Human Rights Monitoring mission.

Academies

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the percentage of English pupils who were educated in academies in each year since 2005; and what projection he has made of the percentage in each year until 2020.

Jim Knight: Information on the proportion of pupils in England educated in academies from 2005 to 2008 is included in the following table. The projected number of academies to be opened (and therefore the overall number of pupils in academies) by the end of the 2008-09; 2009-10 and 2010-11 financial years is subject to the detailed allocation of funds to the academies programme from the Department's spending review settlement, which will be announced shortly. Financial allocations for later years, which will impact on the number of academies and pupils receiving education in them, are subject to future spending review decisions.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Proportion of all pupils in England educated in academies  Proportion of all pupils aged 11 to 15 in England educated in academies 
			 2005 (1)— (1)— 
			 2006 (1)— 1 
			 2007 1 1 
			 2008 1 2 
			 (1) Represents a proportion that is less than 1 per cent.   Notes:  1. Percentages are rounded to the nearest percentage point.  2. Total pupil numbers in all schools include those in maintained nursery, maintained primary, maintained secondary, city technology colleges, maintained special schools, maintained pupil referral units, non-maintained special schools, independent schools and academies.  3. Calculations based on full-time equivalents where part-time pupils are counted as 0.5.  4 School information used in calculations is pupil level based from all schools except for Pupil Referral Units. Data includes dually registered pupils.  5. Figures for 2007 and 2008 are projections.   Source:  2006 Annual Schools Census and DCSF projections.

Curriculum

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of children in year 11 in English schools were taught  (a) history,  (b) geography,  (c) a modern language and  (d) physics in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information requested is in the following table:
	
		
			  Percentage of all 15-year-old pupils( 1 ) attempting GCSEs 
			   Geography  History  Physics  French  German  Spanish  Other modern languages 
			 1994 43.9 39.0 6.6 55.5 20.7 5.3 2.8 
			 1995 44.8 38.6 5.7 54.8 21.0 5.4 2.8 
			 1996 45.5 35.8 6.0 53.2 21.3 5.7 2.9 
			 1997 44.3 35.4 5.9 52.2 21.7 5.9 3.0 
			 1998 41.0 32.9 6.3 53.4 22.1 6.7 3.2 
			 1999 39.6 32.5 6.4 53.6 22.3 6.8 3.2 
			 2000 37.4 32.8 6.5 54.0 22.0 7.3 3.3 
			 2001 36.5 32.4 6.4 53.2 21.7 7.6 3.4 
			 2002 34.3 32.0 6.4 51.4 20.6 8.0 3.4 
			 2003 32.2 31.3 6.4 48.9 19.4 8.2 3.5 
			 2004 30.6 31.9 6.6 45.0 18.1 8.3 3.4 
			 2005 29.3 31.8 7.0 38.2 15.5 8.1 3.3 
			 2006 28.5 31.8 7.4 32.1 13.0 7.9 3.2 
			 2007(2) 27.9 30.9 8.1 28.7 11.5 8.1 2.7 
			 (1) Aged 15 on 31 August. (2 )Data for 2007 is provisional. 
		
	
	Data is not available prior to 1994. A time series for any modern foreign language is not available, and so separate time series for French, German and Spanish have been given.
	The Department does not hold data on the number of pupils to study certain subjects. The closest indicator held by the Department is the number of entries for each subject. It is possible that some students may study a subject but not be entered for a qualification in it.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what the cost of the education maintenance allowance has been in  (a) Cheadle constituency,  (b) Stockport Metropolitan borough council area,  (c) Greater Manchester and  (d) England;
	(2)  how many people in  (a) Cheadle constituency,  (b) Stockport Metropolitan borough council area,  (c) Greater Manchester and  (d) England have applied for an education maintenance allowance;
	(3)  how many people in  (a) Cheadle constituency,  (b) Stockport Metropolitan borough council area,  (c) Greater Manchester and  (d) England have received the (i) £10, (ii) £20 and (ii) £30 education maintenance allowance;
	(4)  what percentage of 16 to 19-year-olds in  (a) Cheadle constituency,  (b) Stockport Metropolitan borough council area,  (c) Greater Manchester and  (d) England have applied for an education maintenance allowance;
	(5)  what percentage of 16 to 19-year-olds in  (a) Cheadle constituency,  (b) Stockport Metropolitan borough council area,  (c) Greater Manchester and  (d) England have received the (i) £10, (ii) £20 and (iii) £30 education maintenance allowance;
	(6)  what percentage of applications for an education maintenance allowance have been successful in  (a) Cheadle constituency,  (b) Stockport Metropolitan borough council area,  (c) Greater Manchester and  (d) England.

Jim Knight: These are all matters for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), who operate the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and hold the information about take-up and payments under the scheme. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department has taken to advertise and raise awareness of the educational maintenance allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for tie Learning and Skills Council (LSC), who operate and have responsibility for advertising and raising awareness of the education maintenance allowance (EMA) scheme for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). Mark Haysom, the council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Leeds

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many young people in  (a) Leeds West constituency and  (b) Leeds have been granted an education maintenance allowance since its inception.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSG), who operate the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and hold the information about take-up and payments made under the scheme. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive will write to my right hon. Friend with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education: Assessments

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans his Department has to evaluate, on an ongoing basis, the  (a) intended and  (b) unintended effects of the use of national targets in Key Stage tests; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Since 1998 schools and local authorities have set targets for pupils' performance in National Curriculum tests and public examinations. The impact of targets on the educational system has been evaluated through the annual test and examination results and through consultation with head teachers and local authorities. We have always made clear that we will consider sensible suggestions for how targets can be refined and improved to help teachers.
	The evidence from the test and examination results since 1997 shows clearly that targets have been a powerful stimulus for improvements in standards over the last 10 years. Literacy and numeracy skills have increased significantly across all key stages, This year, 100,000 more 11 year-olds achieved the target level 4+ at Key Stage 2 in English and 90,000 more did so in mathematics compared with 1997. At secondary
	level, 62,000 more pupils achieved five good GCSEs including English and mathematics compared with 1997. Such rapid improvements would not have been achieved without the challenge of specific and focused targets related to performance outcomes.
	In 2004 following an extensive consultation with head teachers we moved to empower schools to set pupil-driven targets that give them ownership of the goals and help them focus on improving teaching and learning in the classroom.
	Targets continue to play an essential part in the Government's commitment to raising educational standards. As part of the Comprehensive Spending Review we have
	announced new targets which will place a focus on improving progression throughout the education system. We want to ensure that more pupils make the expected progress through the key stages at school as well as ensuring they reach the expected levels at the end of each key stage, especially pupils from disadvantages backgrounds who have not kept pace with their peers. The progress targets are an important step in helping all pupils reach their potential.

Education: Assessments

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what assessment he has carried out of the merits of national tests at each Key Stage; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of whether the Key Stage 2 test results give a reliable indication of pupil ability in the test subjects; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: National curriculum tests at each Key Stage provide a fully objective means of assessing all pupils in England on a consistent basis. This in turn provides information on standards nationally, in the priority subjects, improves accountability of schools to parents and to taxpayers and helps inform parents and teachers how individual pupils are progressing so that they can effectively plan their future learning and development. In short, national tests equip us with the best data possible about performance in Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 to support the education system as a whole.
	The national curriculum tests are designed by the National Assessment Agency (NAA) to differentiate fairly between pupils of different attainment, in line with the level descriptions in the national curriculum. They use statistical and judgemental procedures, as laid out in the National Curriculum Assessment Code of Practice to ensure that the standards of performance required for the award of each level are maintained consistently from year to year.
	The Qualification and Curriculum Authority is responsible for ensuring that standards are maintained over time and its processes for doing so in relation to national curriculum tests were found by the independent Rose Panel (1999), an independent panel commissioned by the Secretary of State to review the procedures to set and maintain standards, to be robust and to bear comparison with best practice in the world.

Extracurricular Activities

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Government has taken to encourage children to take part in extra-curricular activities at school since 1997.

Jim Knight: holding answer 25 October 2007
	 Extra-curricular activities can help increase the attainment of individual children and young people, as well as increase their aspirations and motivation to learn, enabling every child to fulfil their potential. Since 1997, the Government have been firmly committed to giving children and young people the opportunity to benefit from a wide range of extra curricular activity.
	Study support is recognised as a key tool in raising pupil attainment and Improving behaviour and attendance. Since 1997 a range of activity has been undertaken, spearheaded by the publication in 1999 of the strategy document "Extending Opportunity: A National Framework for Study Support". As part of this, all schools were given access to ring-fenced Government funding for study support activities via the Standards Fund; this was subsumed into mainstream funding In 2004-05.
	Playing for Success (PfS) was introduced in 1997 as part of the commitment to tackle under-achievement in urban areas. PfS is establishing study support centres at sports clubs' grounds with the aim of raising standards in literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology (ICT) among young people aged between nine and 14 years. The centres use the environment and motivating factor of sport to help pupils to re-engage with education. Typically, pupils attend for two hours per evening, after school, over a 10-week period. Attendance is voluntary. PfS has grown over the past 10 years, and in that period over 220,000 pupils have benefited from attending PfS.
	Study support is now part of the extended schools programme, which promotes participation in extra-curricular activity. Starting with 60 local authorities (LAs) in 2003-04, and increasing to include all LAs in 2005-06, the Department piloted Full Service Extended Schools (FSES), delivering a full core set of services to pupils, families and the wider community.
	Building from the success of FSES, the Government are committed to every school providing access to the core offer by 2010. The core offer is: a varied menu of activities (including study support and play) and child care; community access to facilities, swift and easy access to targeted and specialist services; and parenting support. The varied menu aspect of the core offer will give all children and young people the opportunity to engage in voluntary out of school hours activities, both before and after school. Activities can include breakfast clubs, homework clubs, sport, music and the arts and opportunities to pursue particular interests. There are currently over 8,000 schools delivering access to the core offer.
	Significant funding has been provided to support extended schools. £680 million was made available between 2005-06 to 2007-08 to support the start up of extended schools. In July 2008, over £1 billion funding was announced for extended schools between 2008-09 to 2010-11. As part of this, £265 million will be made available to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds benefiting from additional out-of-hours tuition and after-school clubs.
	Extended schools can already be shown to be making a positive impact. The Universities of Manchester and Newcastle study into the effectiveness of Full Service Extended Schools (published in June 2007) found that FSES had a positive impact on the attainment of pupils and on engagement with teaming, family stability and enhanced life chances and generated positive outcomes for families and local people, This adds to an analysis undertaken by the Department for Education and Skills, which found progress in the percentage of pupils achieving five plus A*-C at GCSE in extended schools was around double the rate of the national average between 2005 and 2006.

GCSE

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of marks for each GCSE and A level were allocated to each subject in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The figures readily available relate to the percentage of pupils who got each grade at different A-level and GCSE subjects respectively. These can be found at
	GCSE and equivalent: Tables 10-13 in the Statistical First Release: GCSE and Equivalent Results in England, 2006/07 (Provisional). This information is available in the House of Commons Library or at the following link:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000754/index.shtml
	A-Level and equivalent: Tables 2-7 in the Statistical First Release: GCE/VCE A/AS and Equivalent Examination Results in England, 2006/07 (Provisional). This information is available in the House of Commons Library or at the following link:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000755/index.shtml

GCSE

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the accuracy of coursework marks for  (a) GCSE and  (b) A levels; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what evidence  (a) his Department and  (b) the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has of re-drafting of (i) GCSE and (ii) A level coursework after feedback from teachers; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: It is for the awarding bodies to moderate coursework marks and ensure that the grades they award are fair and consistent. Accreditation of A levels and GCSEs includes consideration of the quality assurance and controls they have in place. It is for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) as the qualifications regulator to oversee standards and fairness within the exams system. Its Regulations and Standards Division runs monitoring and scrutiny programmes of awarding body practice on coursework.
	The QCA's 2005 review of coursework in GCE and GCSE identified concerns about the nature and amount level of support that it is appropriate for teachers to give. In response to this QCA issued guidelines to teachers and pupils on how much help centres can give to candidates. The Joint Council for Qualifications also provided a set of rules, which took effect from September 2006, which cover how much help teachers can give students. Awarding bodies use these rules to challenge and deal with any individual instances of inappropriate behaviour. There is no evidence to suggest that breaches of the rules are in any way widespread.
	The changes being made to strengthen further GCSE and A level arrangements include changes to coursework arrangements in many subjects and the introduction of controlled assessments. These will bring tighter controls around: task setting by teachers or awarding bodies; supervision of task taking and task marking by teachers or awarding bodies. Teacher set and marked tasks will not be allowed in GCSE.

GCSE

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what mark was required to obtain an  (a) C grade and  (b) A grade in each (i) GCSE and (ii) A level course in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: This information on grade boundaries is not held centrally. The process awarding bodies go through to ensure that standards are consistent means there will be variations in terms of the raw marks required between different awarding bodies' qualifications and from year-to-year. It is for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as the qualifications regulator to oversee the awarding process to ensure that standards are comparable both between different qualifications and over time.

Languages: Curriculum

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of children were taught a modern foreign language in  (a) year 2,  (b) year 6,  (c) year 9 and  (d) year 11 in maintained schools in England in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: We have not collected any data on language learning in year 2, as there is no requirement for schools to teach modern foreign language in Key Stage 1. Research published by the National Foundation for Educational Research in June 2007 found that 70 per cent. of primary schools are teaching a foreign language in class time in Key Stage 2. We do not have accurate data that breaks this down into individual year groups so cannot provide a figure for year 6 pupils.
	Languages are compulsory at Key Stage 3 so all pupils in year 9 should be taught a modern foreign language. We do not know the exact proportion of pupils who were taught a language at Key Stage 4. 46 per cent. of all pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 took a GCSE in a modern foreign language in 2007, but a few of these pupils may not have been taught, and some may have been taught but decided not the take the exam.

Pupil Exclusions

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many serious case reviews were conducted in each London constituency in each year since 2000;
	(2)  how many serious case reviews were conducted in each year since 2000.

Kevin Brennan: The Commission for Social Care Inspection, which until April this year was responsible for inspecting and monitoring local authority children' social care, entered on a database information notified by local authorities about cases subject to a Serious Case Review (SCR). As at March 2007, the following figures are given on the database for cases where a SCR has been confirmed (with the SCR being completed or under way):
	
		
			   SCRs (ongoing or completed)  Of which :  notified by London authorities 
			 2000 35 0 
			 2001 45 0 
			 2002 75 17 
			 2003 96 12 
			 2004 88 13 
			 2005 73 10 
			 2006 55 1 
		
	
	It should be noted that, particularly for the later years, the figures may not yet reflect all SCRs because ongoing cases may not have been recorded prior to March 2007. Figures for London are the sum of entries on the database recorded against local authorities within London for each year.

Pupils: Literacy

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of 11-year-olds who were functionally illiterate in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: holding answer 22 October 2007
	We do not have a measure of functional literacy; however; information on the attainment of pupils in Key Stage 2 English tests is shown in the following table. The expected level of achievement at Key Stage 2 is Level 4.
	The characteristics of Levels 2 to 5 are as follows:
	 Level 2
	At level 2 children begin to show confidence in talking and listening, and reading of simple texts shows understanding and is accurate.
	 Level 3
	Children achieving level 3 are able to read a range of texts accurately and independently, tackle unfamiliar words and self correct when their reading doesn't make sense.
	At level 3 pupils' writing is organised, legible and clear. Punctuation to mark sentences—full stops, capital letters and question marks—is used accurately. Handwriting is joined and legible. Pupils are aware of standard English and when it is used.
	 Level 4
	A level 4 child has access to more complex forms of language and can access more complex ideas. They can use inference and deduction and can locate and use ideas and information.
	At level 4 children's writing in a range of forms is lively and thoughtful. Handwriting style is fluent, joined and legible. Full stops, capital letters and question marks are used accurately and pupils can use punctuation within a sentence.
	 Level 5
	Graduating to level 5 pupils can confidently read and discuss a range of texts, selecting essential points using inference and deduction where appropriate. Writing conveys meaning clearly in a range of forms using a more formal style where appropriate.
	
		
			  Percentage of pupils at each level 
			   A  T/D  B  N  W( 1)  1( 1)  2  3  4  5  6( 1)  Total  % at Level 4 or above  % at Level 5 or above 
			 1995 4 0 — 0 0 1 7 39 41 7 0 100 49 7 
			 1996 3 0 — 2 0 1 6 30 45 12 0 100 57 12 
			 1997 3 0 4 2 — — 1 26 48 16 0 100 63 16 
			 1998 2 0 4 2 — — 1 26 48 17 0 100 65 17 
			 1999 2 0 3 2 — — 1 20 48 22 0 100 71 22 
			 2000 2 0 3 2 — — 1 17 46 29 0 100 75 29 
			 2001 1 1 3 2 — — 1 17 46 29 0 100 75 29 
			 2002 1 1 3 2 — — 1 17 46 29 0 100 75 29 
			 2003 1 1 3 2 — — 1 16 48 27 — 100 75 27 
			 2004 1 0 4 2 — — 1 14 50 27 — 100 78 27 
			 2005 1 0 4 2 — — 1 14 52 27 — 100 79 27 
			 2006 1 0 4 1 — — 1 14 47 32 — 100 79 32 
			 2007(2) 1 0 4 1 — — 1 13 47 33 — 100 80 33 
			 A = pupils who were absent.  T = pupils working at the level of the assessment but unable to access the test.  D = pupils disapplied from teacher assessment.  B = pupils who were assessed by teacher assessment only.  N = pupils who took the tests but failed to register a level.  W = pupils who are "working towards" Level 1 but have not yet achieved the standards needed for Level 1.  (1) Levels W and 1 were valid in 1995 and 1996 only. Level 6 was valid from 1995-2002 only.  (2) Figures for 2007 are based on provisional data. Figures for all other years are based on final data.  Note:  Data covers all schools entering pupils for KS2 tests.

Pupils: Walking

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Government has taken to encourage children and their families to walk to and from school, where possible, since 1997.

Jim Knight: In 2003 the Departments for Transport (DfT) and Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) established the joint Travelling to School Initiative to encourage more sustainable travel to school, thereby improving child health and activity levels and reducing congestion and pollution caused by the number of cars on the school run. The primary tool in helping schools achieve a reduction in car travel is the development of a School Travel Plan (STP). This helps to identify specific measures which could reduce the number of car journeys and promote and encourage more walking and cycling to school, or the use of public transport for longer journeys.
	In September 2003 the Departments published 'Travelling to School: An action plan' and 'Travelling to school: a good practice guide'. These outline how schools and local authorities can increase the number of children travelling to school on foot or by other sustainable methods.
	The Government (DfT and DCSF) are providing a total of over £100 million during 2004-08 to help support the development of STPs. This includes £7.5 million each year for local authority based School Travel Advisers who help schools carry out surveys and prepare plans.
	DCSF also allocates capital funding to help those schools upgrade their sustainable travel facilities. Between 2004 and 2007 more than 14,000 schools have developed STPs and been allocated more than £77 million to invest on capital items which promote or enable sustainable travel. We want every school to have a STP by 2010.
	In addition to STPs schools have, for the first time in 2007, been able to apply for DfT funding to establish Walking Buses. 3,231 primary schools have received funding under this scheme in 2007-08 to enable them to set up Walking Buses to encourage children to walk to school.

Schools: Sutton

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what  (a) central and  (b) local government funding was available to schools in the London Borough of Sutton in (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2006-07; and how much funding was passed on to schools in each case.

Jim Knight: In 2004-05 the Schools Formula Funding Share for Sutton local authority was £100 million and budgeted .revenue schools grants (central Government funding) were £9 million—a total of £109 million. This funding covers various central services as well as funding delegated to schools. In 2004-05 Sutton local authority budgeted to pass £101.6 million directly to schools.
	In 2006-07 the funding system for schools had changed. Sutton local authority had a dedicated schools grant of £107.4 million and budgeted revenue schools grants of £9.7 million—a total of £116.1 million. £120.7 million was budgeted to be passed directly to schools.
	 Notes:
	1. The data is drawn from the local authorities Section 52 Budget Statements (Table 1) submitted to the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
	2. Schools budget is derived from the total schools budget minus grants. Revenue grants are based on grants allocated to the school at the start of the financial year. Funding passed directly on to schools is the combination of individual schools budget plus revenue grants devolved to schools.
	3. These figures do not represent the totality of education funding in that year—funding to cover LEA central functions is not included. In addition figures do not include any capital funding allocated to schools.
	4. The revenue funding that individual schools receive via their school budget shares is a matter for individual local authorities to decide locally through their own local funding formulae (subject to satisfying the minimum funding guarantee for schools).
	5. The figures are for all funded pupils aged 3-19 and are in cash terms.

Scouts and Guides: Shrewsbury

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will meet scout leaders of Monkmoor Scouts in Shrewsbury to discuss a grant for a new scout hut.

Edward Balls: Due to diary commitments I am unable to meet with the Scout Leaders at Monkmoor Scouts. Officials in my Department will contact the hon. Member to set up a meeting in the near future.

Secondary Education: Class Sizes

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of year 7 pupils in each English local authority area in each of the next 10 years.

Jim Knight: Estimate for the number of year 7 pupils in each English local authority over the next 10 years are not available centrally. The following table shows the estimated number of year 7 pupils in full-time education in schools in England:
	
		
			  Projected numbers of year 7 pupils (thousand)( 1)  in maintained schools, academies and city technologies 
			  At January aged 11 at previous 31 August  All year 7 pupils 
			 2008 566 
			 2009 576 
			 2010 561 
			 2011 555 
			 (1) Full-time equivalents, counting each part-time pupil as 0.5. The numbers have been rounded to the nearest thousand.  Notes: 1. Pupil numbers in maintained schools includes those in middle, secondary, maintained special schools and maintained Pupil Referral Units. 2. Projections are based on a target of 200 academies by 2011. 3. Projections use 2006 School Census Data and are being updated in November 2007. 
		
	
	Projections are not shown beyond 2011 because of the increasing degree of uncertainty over time.

Shrewsbury Sixth Form College

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  if he will respond to the concerns of teachers of Shrewsbury Sixth Form College on proposals to relocate their college to another part of Shrewsbury;
	(2)  if he will meet the hon. Member for Shrewsbury to discuss the proposals to co-locate Shrewsbury Sixth Form College with Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology College.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	I met with a delegation from Shrewsbury Sixth Form College (SSFC) on 16 July 2007, and listened to the concerns expressed about the proposed co-location of SSFC with Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology College (SCAT).
	The decision of the colleges to co-locate is entirely a matter for the respective governing bodies. I understand that all options have been carefully appraised, and that the decision to co-locate will allow learners to access world-class facilities and a broader curriculum offer than they could by staying on the current site.
	I understand that numerous consultation meetings have been held with various stakeholder groups over the past three years, including the 'Let's Talk' public consultation held on the 4 October 2006, and the public meeting held on 12 January 2007.

Bicycles: Accidents

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government has taken to reduce the number of road traffic accidents involving cyclists since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Measures to improve road safety for cyclists include providing better infrastructure, promoting cycle training, improved training and testing for motorists and encouraging cyclists to protect themselves, by making themselves conspicuous and by wearing a safety helmet.
	The new edition of the Highway Code, published in September 2007, includes enhanced advice to all road users to look out for and be aware of vulnerable road users, including cyclists. To make drivers more aware of cyclists the theory test question bank contains a large number of questions about vulnerable road users. The screen-based theory test allows the use of digitised video clips to help test hazard perception with moving images, which include cyclists. The practical driving test has been lengthened, providing a greater opportunity for encountering cyclists.
	We have doubled Cycling England's budget to fund additional links to schools and to fund grants to enable more children to receive Bikeability, the new national cycle training standard.
	We concentrate our cycle safety publicity on teenagers and younger children, as these are the most vulnerable groups. We have run various cycle safety campaigns over the last 10 years. Currently, cycling safety messages for younger children are included on the Hedgehogs website including advice and games. Last year we produced an online advertisement for children called 'No helmet, no ride', which encourages children to wear a cycle helmet, which last ran in the summer of this year.
	There is also the cyclesense website aimed at teenage cyclists, giving advice and tips of cycling safety. This year an MTV/THINK! competition teenagers were asked to come up with ideas for TV commercials about road safety, including cycling, aimed at their peers. This activity ran over five months and the three best ideas were produced as TV commercials and teens voted for their favourite ad online. Invisible, about being seen when out cycling and wearing a helmet, came second.
	The Department's leaflet 'Drive Safe Cycle Safe' also encourages drivers and cyclists to share the road safely. The Department has grant funded a number of projects to improve road safety for cyclists including a RoSPA produced DVD on safety for cyclists and lorries.

Departments: Research

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department spent on its rolling programme of customer research in each of the last five years; how much of that was spent on procurement of skills from  (a) external consultants,  (b) polling companies and  (c) other service providers; and what areas were covered in the last year's rolling programme of customer research.

Jim Fitzpatrick: An estimate of the total amount spent on customer research by the Department and its agencies in each of the last five financial years is:
	
		
			   Amount (£) 
			 2003-04 3,295,768 
			 2004-05 2,123,801 
			 2005-06 2,625,754 
			 2006-07 6,006,483 
			 2007-08 4,510,943 
		
	
	Almost all customer research commissioned by the Department and its agencies is conducted externally by consultants, polling companies and other service providers. However, data on the precise breakdown of spending on each of these groups is not available.
	Areas covered by customer research commissioned in 2007-08 include: service user/customer satisfaction research, public attitude and opinion research in relation to specific departmental policies and communication campaigns, and exploratory research with targeted population groups.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) records are incorrect; and how many customer complaints the DVLA has received in the last 12 months, broken down by the regional origin of the complaint.

Jim Fitzpatrick: 33 million vehicle records are maintained at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. Of these 2.6 per cent. of the vehicle keepers cannot be traced directly from the record. There are 42 million driver records also held at DVLA. 18.5 per cent. of these cannot be traced directly.
	DVLA has a variety of initiatives in place to increase accuracy levels. These are set in my answer given today to the Member (UIN 159199).
	Customer complaints are not broken down by region but by the type of enquiry received.

Level Crossings: Death

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were killed at  (a) pedestrian and  (b) vehicular rail level crossings in each of the last three years.

Tom Harris: The information requested is shown in the table as follows:
	
		
			  Level crossing fatalities 2004-06( 1)  (excluding suicides and trespassers) 
			   (a) Pedestrian crossings  (b) Vehicular crossings  Total 
			 2004 2 15 17 
			 2005 1 13 14 
			 2006(2) 4 4 8 
			 (1) Rail safety statistics are published on a calendar year basis. (2) Data is provisional because Coroner's Inquests into incidents involving level crossings have yet to be concluded.

Railways: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) percentage and  (b) actual change he expects there to be in numbers of seats on (i) peak and (ii) off peak services from Peterborough to London Kings Cross between December 2007 and January 2009; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: The information requested is as follows:
	 Intercity Services
	National Express East Coast Limited (NXEC) has no current plans to alter the present Monday-Friday peak or midday off-peak services at either the December 2007, May 2008 or December 2008 timetable changes for services from Peterborough to London Kings Cross.
	 First Capital Connect Services (FCC)
	A fleet of new trains is due to be introduced oh the Peterborough to London route as part of the final stage of the Thameslink Programme in December 2015.
	FCC, in the meantime, at the December 2008 timetable change will see an extra 16 carriages on London to Peterborough and Cambridge routes. This will allow key peak services to provide additional 1,779 and 2,490 seats in the morning and evening peaks respectively.

Roads: Canvey Island

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the feasibility study into a new access road for Canvey Island; what assessment she has made of the  (a) safety,  (b) congestion,  (c) regeneration and  (d) environmental impacts of providing such an access road; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The feasibility study for an additional access road to Canvey Island is not at present a matter for assessment by the Secretary of State but one for consideration by the local planning and transport authorities. I am aware that the local highway authority, Essex county council, is continuing their investigation of such a proposed road scheme.
	Should the council decide in principle to promote such a scheme, it would need to obtain the region's agreement to prioritise the scheme for funding within the East of England regional funding allocation for major transport schemes. The council would then need to submit a detailed major scheme business case for the scheme, in line with departmental guidance, for consideration and assessment by the Department.

Roads: Finance

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how much her Department spent on road  (a) building and  (b) improvements in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how much was ring-fenced by her Department for road projects over the last 10 years; and what projects were included.

Rosie Winterton: The available expenditure data do not enable new road construction to-be identified as a separate category. Expenditure prior to 2001-02 solely by the Department for Transport is also not available. The total expenditure on road infrastructure in Great Britain by central and local government from 1995-96 to 2005-06, the latest date for which figures are available, is given in the following table together with the figures on English strategic roads from 2002-03.
	
		
			  Investment in road infrastructure( 1) 
			  £ million 
			   Total Great Britain  Strategic roads in England 
			 1995-96 4,330.0 — 
			 1996-97 3,958.0 — 
			 1997-98 3,518.0 — 
			 1998-99 3,234.5 — 
			 1999-2000 3,134.3 — 
			 2000-01 3,390.8 — 
			 2001-02 3,687.8 607.0 
			 2002-03 3,955.0 735.9 
			 2003-04 3,621.0 438.9 
			 2004-05 4,126.0 611.1 
			 2005-06 4,406.0 753.3 
			 2006-07 (2)— 1,116.0 
			 (1) Includes some private investment in road infrastructure, using private public finance contracts. (2) Not yet available.  Note: These figures cover new construction, improvements and structural maintenance and exclude routine maintenance.  Sources: Central and Local Government expenditure in England, Scotland and Wales 
		
	
	Funds are allocated to the Highways Agency annually for major road projects and to local authorities for specific schemes. Details of schemes are available in the Highways Agency's annual business plans and in local transport plan settlement letters issued to local authorities. These documents are available online and also in the Libraries of the House.

Roads: Tolls

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department has spent on a possible national road pricing scheme; and how many  (a) departmental staff and  (b) external consultants have worked on her Department's road pricing policy.

Rosie Winterton: In response to the first part of the question, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the then Minister of State for Transport, the hon. Member for South Thanet (Dr. Ladyman) to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) on 14 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1273W (UIN 141864).
	As for numbers of staff and external consultants working on road pricing, I would also refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 14 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1273W (UIN 141863). There have been minor fluctuations in these numbers with normal turnover of personnel but they remain a fair representation of the size of the road pricing team.

Roads: Tolls

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department plans to take forward lorry road user charging independently of a national road pricing scheme; how much her Department has spent on a possible lorry road user charging scheme; and how many  (a) departmental staff and  (b) external consultants have worked on proposals for lorry road user charging.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) by my hon. Friend, the then Minister of State for Transport, the hon. Member for South Thanet (Dr. Ladyman) on 21 June 2007,  Official Report, column 2114W (UIN 141858) and by the then Financial Secretary, the hon. Member for Wentworth (John Healey) on 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 521W (UIN141857).

Banks

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his Department's policy to guarantee retail deposits held by UK citizens with banks operating in the UK but which are not British-owned or operating as British subsidiaries.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 10 October 2007
	 A bank authorised to operate in the UK by virtue of its authorisation by the regulator in an EEA member state with a branch in the UK may elect to participate in the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if the scope or level (including percentage) of the protection afforded to depositors by the FSCS exceeds that afforded by the deposit-guarantee scheme in its home state. If the bank does not elect to participate in the FSCS or the protection afforded to depositors by its home state deposit-guarantee scheme exceeds that afforded by the FSCS, or the bank does not have a branch in the UK, UK depositors will be protected by the deposit-guarantee scheme in the home member state.
	A foreign bank whose home state is outside the EEA with a branch in the UK will need to be authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act and must participate in the FSCS. UK depositors with a foreign bank from outside the EEA which does not have a branch in the UK will not be protected by the FSCS but may be afforded some protection by any home state deposit guarantee scheme, subject to the provisions of local law.
	A UK subsidiary of a foreign bank which accepts deposits will need to be authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act and must participate in the FSCS, irrespective of the home state of the foreign owner.

Departments: Internet

Norman Baker: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many websites his Department operates; how many it operated at 1 January 2005; and what the estimated annual cost has been of running his Department's websites in the last five years;
	(2)  how many hits the  (a) most and  (b) least popular website run by his Department has received since 1 January 2007.

Angela Eagle: The Chancellor's Department currently operates 13 websites. On 1 January 2005 it operated seven websites.
	The estimated annual costs are as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Cost (£) 
			 2006-07 247,764 
			 2005-06 120,927 
			 2004-05 218,306 
			 2003-04 291,785 
			 2002-03 140,634 
		
	
	For further detail, including costs of running the websites in the last five years, I refer the right hon. Member to the answers given on:
	11 June 2007,  Official Report, column 828W
	25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1352W
	10 October 2005,  Official Report, column 285W
	24 June 2004,  Official Report, column 1470W
	14 April 2003,  Official Report, column 548W
	22 October 2002,  Official Report, column 219W.
	The HM Treasury departmental website received 2,006,336 'unique' visits since 1 January 2007, making it the most popular website run by the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Department.
	The Financial Inclusion Taskforce website received the fewest visits with 4,850.

Foreign Workers: Bulgaria

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the contributions made to the UK's gross domestic product by  (a) Romanian and  (b) Bulgarian migrant workers in each year since 2005.

Angela Eagle: The latest official statistics (April to July 2007) show workers from the A10 member states in Eastern Europe made up 1.6 per cent. of UK employment, and contributed around 1.1 per cent. of the economy. However, it is not possible to accurately identify the size of the contribution to the UK's gross domestic product from Bulgarian and Romanian migrants, since the number of migrants from these countries in the UK labour force is relatively small.
	As the Government reported in a recent interdepartmental submission to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee, "immigration has clear benefits for both the labour market and economy as a whole" (p11)(1).
	(1) A copy of the report can be found on the internet at the following address: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/economic-impact-of-immigration

Foreign Workers: Bulgaria

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the contributions made by Romanian and Bulgarian workers to the UK economy since 2005.

Angela Eagle: The latest official statistics (April to July 2007) show workers from the A10 member states in Eastern Europe made up 1.6 per cent. of UK employment, and contributed around 1.1 per cent. of the economy. However, it is not possible to accurately identify the size of the contribution to the UK economy made by Bulgarian and Romanian migrants since the number of migrants from these countries in the UK labour force is relatively small.
	As the Government reported in a recent interdepartmental submission to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee, "immigration has clear benefits for both the labour market and economy as a whole" (p11)(1).
	(1) A copy of the report can be found on the internet at the following address: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/economic-impact-of-immigration

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers have experienced a reduction in income following the removal of the 10p income tax band.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 18 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1266W, and the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the then Economic Secretary to the Treasury on 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 384W.

Joint Ministerial Committee on Child Poverty

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Joint Ministerial Committee on Child Poverty will next meet; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: There are a number of other fora in which the Government and the devolved Administrations have discussed child poverty. In the last two years, officials have met at regular intervals.
	The CSR reconfirmed the Government's commitment to the target of halving child poverty by 2010, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer will meet with the Secretaries of State for Children, Schools and Families and Work and Pensions to oversee this PSA in the coming months.

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when HM Revenue and Customs expect to complete the Transformation Programme in regard to the tax credits system.

Jane Kennedy: The Tax Credits Transformation Programme was established in November 2006 to improve the way tax credits is delivered through communications and services which are tailored to the needs and circumstances of the customer. It aims to have delivered the vast majority of these enhanced communications and services by April 2009.
	The programme is delivering ongoing improvements, including, from 1 November 2007, significant improvements for customers reporting a household breakdown as announced on 18 October 2007.

Criminal Records Bureau

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to ensure  (a) that information kept by the Criminal Records Bureau is accurate and up-to-date and  (b) that the documentary evidence to support such information is properly recorded.

Meg Hillier: The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) operates a central database in order to record transactions that occur during the Disclosure process, where applicants' personal data provided on an application form are compared against information held by the police, the Department of Health and the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Although the CRB has access to conviction and other information through this process, the police and the other data sources above are the data owners of material held on their respective databases and as such are responsible for the accuracy of information held thereon.
	The CRB is fully committed to compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
	The following principles apply when personal information is handled:
	personal information is processed only with an applicant's knowledge;
	only information that the Bureau needs is collected and processed;
	personal information is seen only by those who need it to do their jobs;
	personal information is retained only for as long as it is required;
	information is protected from unauthorised or accidental disclosure;
	inaccurate or misleading data will be corrected as soon as possible; and
	procedures are in place for dealing promptly with any disputes.
	These principles apply whether information is held on paper or in electronic form.
	The CRB relies on the police and the other data sources to maintain accurate and up to date records as part of those organisations' own obligations under the Data Protection Act.

Departments: Assets

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what departmental assets are planned to be sold in each financial year from 2007-08 to 2010-11; what the  (a) description and  (b) book value of each such asset is; and what the expected revenue from each such sale is.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office has firm plans to dispose of two properties over the period 2007-08 to 2010-11. These are both police training facilities belonging to the National Police Improvement Agency. Bruche in Warrington with a book value of £6.8 million and Ashford in Kent with a book value of £9.4 million.
	The department will publish an Asset Management Strategy in December setting out the approach it will take to improve and rationalise the estate from 2008-09 to 2010-11.

Departments: Cost Effectiveness

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place in the Library a breakdown of the Department's efficiency savings in relation to its Spending Review 2004 (SR04) targets, including  (a) the efficiency projects in the Department,  (b) the date on which they were initiated and  (c) how much each was predicted to contribute to the SR04 target.

Liam Byrne: The 2007 Departmental Annual Report (Cm 7096) set out the Home Office's performance in relation to the 2004 Spending Review target to increase Value for Money, that was met 15 months early. It reported that the Department had achieved gains worth £2,352 million, of which £1,530 million is cashable against a target of £1,970 million, of which £1,240 million is to be cashable. Further progress will be published in the 2007 Autumn Performance Report.
	The Home Office VfM Technical note, available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/sr2004-value-for-money-tech-note/?version=1
	describes the breakdown and calculation method of projects that contribute to the overall target for Home Office value for money. A recent report by the Committee of Public Accounts (HC349) commented on the robustness of the Department's approach to measurement, particularly in relation to those savings arising from reduction in the cost of providing asylum support.

Departments: Public Expenditure

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which financial years since 2001 her Department's outturn for its capital budget at the end of the year was less than planned at the beginning of the year; and what the  (a) value and  (b) reason for the underspend was in each case.

Liam Byrne: The National Audit Office measures spending performance against plans by comparing outturns against final provision following Supplementary Estimates—rather than against plans at the start of the year—as plans can change during the year for a number of reasons, such as machinery of government and classification changes. The definitive figures for final provision and provisional outturn are published each year in the Public Expenditure Outturns White Paper. Changes to plans arising in-year are published in "Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses", as are differences between provisional and final outturns.

Driving: EC Countries

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the implications for security of the application procedures for the EU driving licence; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 19 October 2007
	Driving licences issued in the UK conform to the format and standard laid out in the second EC directive on driver licensing (91/439/EEC) and are considered to be EU driving licences.
	All applicants for a first driving licence must provide evidence of identity. This is usually a passport but, in instances where a passport is not available, alternative documentation will be considered. In 2003 DVLA conducted a wide ranging review of its identity checking procedures and associated fraud prevention arrangements. Following the review, DVLA established specialist teams using sophisticated equipment to help identity counterfeit and forged identity documentation.

Genetics: Databases

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long DNA and fingerprints will be held on file for individuals who are proven to have committed no offence.

Meg Hillier: Under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, the police have the power to take DNA and fingerprints from anyone arrested for a recordable offence and detained in a police station, and retain them indefinitely, regardless of whether the person is then charged or convicted.
	In practice, the police follow retention guidelines issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) which state that records will normally be retained for 100 years from the person's date of birth, regardless of whether they are still alive.
	ACPO also issued guidance to chief officers on the consideration of applications for removal at the end of January 2006. The ACPO guidelines envisage that DNA and fingerprints which have been taken lawfully will be removed only in exceptional cases, though discretion remains with the chief officer. The then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Andy Burnham) made a written ministerial statement announcing the issue of these ACPO guidelines on 16 February 2006,  Official Report, column 119WS.
	The PACE Review announced in March 2007 is looking at police powers in this area.
	A public consultation exercise has been carried out, and final proposals will be submitted to Ministers in January 2008 following completion of the next phase of the consultation process, with stakeholders and practitioner, during the autumn.

Identity Cards: Finance

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the costs of the identity cards programme to her Department during the initial setup period of the programme;
	(2)  what proportion of the  (a) setup and  (b) running costs of the identity cards scheme will be funded by (i) her Department and (ii) from fees charged for identity cards;
	(3)  how much of her Department's departmental expenditure limit budget will be spent on the identity cards programme in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11.

Meg Hillier: Between the financial years 2003-2004 and 2005-2006, £41.1 million was spent by the identity cards programme in total.
	Since the merger of the Home Office identity cards programme and the UK Passport Service to create the Identity and Passport Service on 1 of April 2006, projects to deliver biometric passports, identity cards and other improvements have been necessarily combined. As much of the functionality needed to implement identity cards is also required for the implementation of biometric passports, this is the most cost-effective way to deliver these initiatives.
	Much of the work conducted by Identity and Passport Service cannot be categorised, both financially and operationally, as contributing towards either the introduction of biometric passports or identity cards alone. The work is accounted for as future development projects which in the 2006-07 financial year amounted to £30.9 million.
	Section 37 of the Identity Cards Act 2006 requires the Secretary of State to lay a report before Parliament every six months which details an updated figure for the cost of the national identity scheme over the following 10 years. The latest cost report was laid before Parliament on 10 May 2007,  Official Report, column. 24W) and can be found at:
	http://www.identitycards.gov.uk/downloads/2007-05-10CostReport.pdf
	I would refer the hon. Member to that report. The next cost report will be laid in November 2007.
	The costs of issuing passports and identity cards to British Nationals will be predominantly covered by fee income. The final fee schedule for these products has yet to be finalised.

Illegal Immigrants

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of people who entered the UK illegally in 2006; what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the effect of those entrants on the UK economy; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: No government has ever been able to produce an accurate figure for the number of people who have entered the country illegally. By its very nature it is impossible to quantify accurately, and that remains the case.
	Ministers routinely discuss matters that may be of interest across their respective Departments. In addition, the Government have set up the Migration Impacts Forum to provide evidence to Government on the impacts of migration and produce best practice in dealing with these impacts. This forum is chaired jointly by Ministers from the Home Office and the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Immigration

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which European Economic Area law, as referred to in fax reference M1016235 dated 18 April 2007 from the Border and Immigration Agency MPs' hotline to the hon. Member for Cheltenham, regulates the processing of leave to remain applications; what the maximum time allowed under this law is for an application to be processed; whether this law requires passports to be processed within the specified time; and how many applications have taken longer than the specified time in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 25 June 2007
	 Directive 2004/38/EC regulates the processing of any application by a family member of an European Economic Area (EEA) National, who is a third country national, for a residence card or a permanent residence card.
	The maximum period allowed for these applications be dealt with is six months of submission of an application.
	Although the Applicant is required to submit evidence of their identity with their application, their passport does not need to be retained whilst their application is processed.
	In order to process an application the Applicant needs to provide the documentation essential to that application, however if an applicant fails to provide documentation essential to the application it may not be possible to complete the case within the specified time limit.
	A table showing the number of applications received and those that have taken longer than the specified time in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			  Case creation date for non-charged non EEA family members (period 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2006 
			   Number cases created  Number of cases made target  Made 6 months target (Percentage)  Number of cases missed  Missed 6 months target (Percentage ) 
			 2002 (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 2003 18,948 17,925 94.60 1,023 5.40 
			 2004 25,755 23,609 91.67 2,146 8.33 
			 2005 29,024 26,662 91.86 2,362 8.14 
			 2006 30,672 24,522 79.95 6,150 20.05 
			 Total 104,399 92,718 — 11,681 — 
			 (1 )Reliable data for this year is not available.  Notes: 1. Increase due to rising intake, different counting arrangements and additional measures to tackle abuse. 2. The data is not provided under National Statistic protocols. It has been derived from local management information and is therefore provisional and subject to change.  Source:: The figures provided above are taken from G-CID. The 6 months turnaround times based on 136 working days.

Police: Working Conditions

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria her Department uses when assessing the percentage of an officer's time which is spent on the front line; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Front line policing is measured using the Frontline Policing Measure, which is based on the proportion of police officers engaged in frontline activities.
	The Frontline Policing Measure is not a measure of visibility. It measures time spent carrying out core policing duties. Examples of roles considered as front line include: burglary, CID, firearms, community safety, dogs, drugs, foot/car/beat patrol, hate crime, mounted police, special branch, marine, air, underwater, and vice.
	CID, foot/car/beat patrol and traffic are also subject to activity analysis to determine more accurately the proportion of officer time spent on frontline activities within those roles. Examples of frontline activity include dealing with incidents, visible patrol, searches, dealing with informants, interviewing suspects and special operations.
	Full details of the formula used to calculated the measure and complete lists of frontline roles and activities are contained in the 'Guidance on Statutory Performance Indicators for Policing 2006-07', published by the Police Standards Unit and available at:
	http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/news-andpublications/publication/performance-and-measurement/SPI_Technical_Guidelines_204.pdf?view=Binary

Armed Forces: Housing

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on substitute services accommodation in each year since 2002.

Derek Twigg: The amount spent on substitute service family accommodation (SSFA) and substitute single service accommodation (SSSA) is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   SSSA  SSFA  Total 
			 2002 26.5 8.9 35.4 
			 2003 28.8 9.1 37.9 
			 2004 32.9 11.0 43.9 
			 2005 36.8 13.0 49.8 
			 2006 40.5 15.0 55.5 
			 2007 (YTD) 36.5 11.0 47.5 
			 Totals 202.0 68.0 270.0 
		
	
	MOD is required to accommodate entitled personnel within 10 miles of their duty station (or 20 miles with permission of their Service Commander). Where no suitable service family accommodation (SFA) can be found, SSFA is offered within the appropriate distance from a duty station. Given the likely disruption to dependants if there were frequent moves, personnel allocated SSFA are entitled to retain it for the duration of their tour.
	SSSA is granted to entitled personnel requiring single accommodation when single living accommodation (SLA) is not available at or close to an individual's place of work. Wherever possible, Defence Estates uses vacant SFA to meet demands for SLA.

Armed Forces: Members

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what guidance has been given to regimental commanding officers about the circumstances in which they may speak to their constituency hon. Members;
	(2)  whether army officers are required to seek permission from his Department before holding discussions with hon. and right hon. Members.

Derek Twigg: Guidance for regimental commanding officers, and all other members of the Army about speaking to a Member of Parliament (MP) is contained within Queens Regulations. These require permission to be sought via the Chain of Command, appropriate MOD officials and Ministers for discussions about Army or defence-related issues. Members of the Army do, however, have the same rights as any member of the public to speak to their constituency MP at any time about a private life matter.

Armed Forces: Multiple Sclerosis

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) serving and  (b) retired service personnel suffering from multiple sclerosis have multiple sclerosis (i) wholly and (ii) partially attributable to their work in the armed forces.

Derek Twigg: Multiple Sclerosis is a disorder whose cause is currently unknown. There is no published peer-reviewed scientific or medical evidence to suggest any link with particular occupations including between any factor of service in the armed forces and development of Multiple Sclerosis.
	Information is not held centrally as to the total number of serving and retired service personnel suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Records do however show that there are 380 former service personnel currently in receipt of a war disablement pension under the War Pension Scheme (WPS), with an accepted claim for Multiple Sclerosis. The records do not identify when these pensioners were diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis or whether it was the reason for their discharge.
	The WPS provides no-fault compensation for all former service personnel disabled as a result of their Service in the armed forces before 6 April 2005. Awards are made under the WPS where, on the individual case facts and under the legislation, a casual link to service can be accepted. The WPS onus and standard of proof mean that casual links may be lawfully recognised which do not reflect contemporary medical evidence. Where a disablement has clinical onset during service and leads to medical discharge, claims are automatically considered. In that situation or where a claim is made within seven years of service termination, entitlement will be certified unless it can be shown by evidence beyond reasonable doubt that service has played no part in the cause or course of the disorder. In these circumstances claims for Multiple Sclerosis may succeed on that basis.
	Any service personnel who develop Multiple Sclerosis in service and are medically discharged may be entitled to ill-health benefits under the terms of their occupational pension scheme.
	Information is not held centrally which can identify former service personnel released on non-medical grounds, who have subsequently been awarded war pensions for suffering the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis while in service. To obtain the information would involve the examination of individual files which could be done only at disproportionate cost—there are currently around 178,000 people in receipt of a war disablement pension.
	No service personnel have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and awarded attributable benefits under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme. Less than five service personnel have been discharged without benefits. The scheme provides no-fault compensation for all Serving and former service personnel for injury/illness caused on or after 6 April 2005. It awards benefits where the evidence shows, on the balance of probabilities, that service is the predominant cause of the injury or disorder.

Army: Injuries

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel were  (a) very seriously wounded,  (b) seriously wounded and  (c) wounded in action in the recent and current tours of Afghanistan of the (i) 1st Battalion Royal Anglian, (ii) 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, (iii) 1st Battalion Scots Guards, (iv) 1st Battalion Worcester and Sherwood Foresters and (v) 1st Battalion Royal Welsh.

Des Browne: Between 1 April and 30 September 2007, these regiments sustained the following casualties:
	
		
			  Regiment  Wounded in action  Very seriously ill/seri ously ill 
			 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment 33 9 
			 1 st Battalion Grenadier Guards 19 7 
			 1 st Battalion Scots Guards 0 0 
			 2nd Battalion the Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters) 16 6 
			 1st Battalion the Royal Welsh 11 1 
		
	
	The 1st Battalion the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment recently became the 2nd Battalion the Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters), and data has therefore been provided under the latter name.
	The 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment, the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards and the 2nd Battalion the Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters) were all deployed from April 2007. The 1st Battalion the Royal Welsh has been the Theatre Reserve Battalion since April 2007. Members of the 1(st) Battalion Scots Guards did not start to deploy until September 2007.
	Data for those very seriously injured/wounded (VSI) or seriously injured/wounded (SI) has been aggregated for reasons of patient confidentiality. Data for those wounded in action (WIA) is collated differently, using field hospital admission data, and may or may not include those classed as VSI or SI.
	The data is subject to change, pending further analysis by the Defence Analytical Services Agency.

Army: Recruitment

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  why the Army Recruiting and Training Division at Pewsey has not requested a submission or relevant medical notes from the GP of the constituent of the hon. Member for Thurrock who appealed in July against the decision to reject his application to join the Army; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when the appeal submitted in July to the Army Recruiting and Training Division at Pewsey by the constituent of the hon. Member for Thurrock against the decision to reject his application to join the Army will be held; what the cause is of the delay in  (a) advising the appellant and  (b) convening the appeal; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  when Jodie Spreadbury of the Army Recruiting and Training Division at Pewsey expects to make a substantive reply to the letter of 12 September sent by the mother of the constituent of the hon. Member for Thurrock who has appealed against the decision to reject his application to join the Army; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: Copies of a candidate's medical documents are only requested from their GP if required. In this case, the Medical Officer at the Army Development and Selection Centre, and the Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon already had copies of the candidate's medical notes including those from hospital records. These were sufficient as the diagnosis was not in dispute and a further copy of your constituent's medical documents was not required.
	The delay in providing a response to your constituent therefore, is regretted but the delay was caused by the need to ensure your constituent's case was thoroughly researched and all factors taken into account. Unfortunately, our inquiries have only just been completed. A substantive response to the hon. Member regarding his constituent's case was sent on 26 October.

Atomic Weapons Establishment: Sales

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for The Wrekin of 26 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1247W, on the Atomic Weapons Establishment: sales, what criteria will be adopted to establish the acceptability of prospective purchasers; and which factors will be taken into account in the analysis of the acceptability of prospective purchasers.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 24 October 2007
	The criteria for ensuring UK security in this matter are the same as those that we would employ in establishing whether we would place a contract with any company. Suitability is established through appropriate checks on corporate, financial and security matters. Security checks are carried out in accordance with the relevant requirements of Joint Service Publication (JSP) 440.
	The factors that will be considered in the analysis of prospective purchasers, will support our aims to ensure the protection of UK strategic interests and continued programme stability through the retention of the skills and capability that underpin the ability to manage the enduring performance of AWE plc. An exhaustive list of pre-determined factors is not available, primarily because some will arise as a consequence both of events and of the track record of the companies concerned. However, an ability to interact effectively with, and to complement the skills of, the existing consortium partners will be essential re-requisites.

Departments: Art Works

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) works of art and  (b) paintings are contained in his Department's art collection; what the cost, including staff costs, of maintaining the collection was in 2006-07; what the estimated value of the collection is; and how much was spent by his Department on purchasing works of art in each of the last five years.

Derek Twigg: There are some 1,050 items in the MOD art collection, of which 250 are antiques and the remainder works of art. The art includes 342 paintings. Other art includes watercolours and engravings, as well as some architectural drawings. Significant works are on long-term loan in various museums, in order to facilitate public access. The cost of maintaining the Collection in 2006-07 was £141,000, of which £98,000 consisted of staff costs. The sum of £232,000 (excluding VAT) was spent on purchasing works of art in 2004-05, no other such expenditure was incurred during the last five years. It is not possible to provide an overall valuation for the Collection; the unique nature of many items renders them invaluable, and other items—while of significant historical importance, are of very little intrinsic value.

Departments: Scotland

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what areas of land in Scotland were sold by his Department in each of the last five years; what the use was of each area prior to sale; what revenue was received for each area of land; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Property in Scotland sold by defence estates—financial years 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			  Town  Number of properties  Former use  Value of sale (£) 
			  2003-04
			 Auchterarder 1 ACF Centre with Land 19,747 
			 Ayr 3 SFA 242,177 
			 Beith 1 Agricultural land 42,000 
			 Balivanish (Benbecula) 1 Former Camp 101,500 
			 Caithness 1 Former Communications Site 6,000 
			 Campbeltown 1 Former Cadet Centre 15,701 
			 Edinburgh 1 Former TA Centre 650,000 
			 Elgin 23 SFA 550,000 
			 Forres 1 SFA 35,162 
			 Helensburgh 4 SFA 220,000 
			 Helensburgh 1 Former Site Office 202,000 
			 Inverness 1 Surplus Land 55,781 
			 Kinross 2 SFA 178,221 
			 Peterhead 10 SFA 677,364 
			 Rosyth 29 SFA incl Garage Colony 1,546,888 
			 Total — — 4,542,541 
			 
			  2004-05
			 Drumore 1 Harbour 1,000 
			 Edinburgh 1 Former TA Centre 2,579,396 
			 Edinburgh 1 SFA 396,277 
			 Fairlie 1 Former NATO Depot 37,541 
			 Falkirk 1 Former TA Centre 329,812 
			 Forres 38 SFA incl Garage Colony 2,170,271 
			 Fort William 1 SFA 150,500 
			 Garelochhead 2 Land/Track 250,000 
			 Giffnock 1 SFA 161,000 
			 Glasgow 1 Part of Car Park 25,000 
			 Helensburgh 4 Amenity sites incl Garage Colony 140,000 
			 Helensburgh 1 Electricity Sub Station 3,000 
			 Keith 1 SFA 84,000 
			 Perth 7 SFA 1,482,735 
			 Peterhead 28 SFA incl Garage Colony 1,763,211 
			 Rosyth 2 SFA 117,435 
			 Stirling 1 Former Cadet Training Camp 1,250,000 
			 Thurso 1 SFA 56,000 
			 Total — — 10,997,178 
			 
			  2005-06
			 Carnoustie (Barry Buddon) 1 Cycle Path 4,602 
			 Balivanish (Benbecula) 7 SFA 520,000 
			 Balivanish (Benbecula) 1 Former NAAFI Shop and Site 123,000 
			 Boddam 59 RAF Buchan Domestic Site Plus 58 SFA 3,776,379 
			 Boddam 1 RAF Buchan Playing Fields 29,250 
			 Elgin 84 SFA with Land and Garage Colony 3,358,300 
			 Elgin 1 Grassed Area (Encroachment) 10,000 
			 Forres 1 Gas Governor Site 300 
			 Forres 54 SFA 4,953,825 
			 Giffnock 5 SFA 802,000 
			 Kinross 1 SFA 200,501 
			 Lerwick 1 Water Pump Station 5,511 
			 Lossiemouth 3 SFA 188,000 
			 Peterhead 27 SFA 2,230,902 
			 Haroldswick (Saxa Vord) 3 SFA 76,080 
			 Thurso 1 SFA 65,000 
			 Total — — 16,343,650 
			 
			  2006-07
			 Aberdeen 2 SFA 268,564 
			 Arbroath 6 SFA 536,636 
			 Balivanish (Benbecula) 8 SFA 456,000 
			 Boddam 2 SFA 275,500 
			 Cupar 18 SFA 2,787,671 
			 Edinburgh 26 SFA 3,209,000 
			 Elgin 40 SFA 3,178,000 
			 Forces 4 SFA 415,650 
			 Garelochhead 6 SFA 924,985 
			 Glencourse (Penicuik) 1 SFA 311,295 
			 Haroldswick (Saxa Vord) 7 SFA 21,600 
			 Inverness 1 Land 1,200 
			 Irvine 76 SFA plus Amenity Land 4,835,000 
			 Lossiemouth 1 Land 115,000 
			 Lossiemouth 4 Former DHE Offices with Garage Colony 305,000 
			 Lossiemouth 37 SFA 2,421,912 
			 Paisley 2 SFA 287,845 
			 Peterhead 1 SFA 92,000 
			 Portpatrick 1 Former Radio Station 20,000 
			 Rosneath 1 Grass verge 13,000 
			 Scone 3 SFA 497,331 
			 Total — — 20,973,189 
			 
			  2007-08 to date
			 Aberdeen 2 Service Family Accommodation -SFA 415,552 
			 Arbroath 1 SFA 115,775 
			 Arbroath 3 Garage Colony and Grassed areas 117,010 
			 Boddam 3 SFA 343,440 
			 Grief 1 Cultybraggan Training Camp 350,000 
			 Cupar 14 SFA 2,316,457 
			 Edinburgh 6 SFA 1,614,834 
			 Elgin 1 Grassed Area 131,035 
			 Haroldswick (Saxa Vord) 1 SFA 125,750 
			 Haroldswick (Saxa Vord) 1 RAF site incl SFA 25,000 
			 Inverness 2 SFA 399,300 
			 Inverness 1 Former Community Centre 330,000 
			 Thurso 1 SFA 92,000 
			 Total — — 6,376,153 
			 
			 Scotland five year total — — 59,232,711

Departments: Written Questions

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of questions tabled to his Department for answer on a named day received a substantive reply on the day named in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: From 1 October 2006 to 30 September 2007, 859 named day written questions were tabled to the Secretary of State for Defence of which, 185 received a substantive reply on the day named.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel serving in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in each of the last four years were returned to the UK for treatment to their injuries arising out of their duties for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 11 October 2007
	The Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA) is currently conducting an analysis of records of aeromedical evacuations for both Iraq and Afghanistan, with a view to releasing validated data on the Ministry of Defence website by November 2007. Until this review has been completed, the following figures are subject to future refinement and pre-2006 figures are not available.
	In 2006, centrally available records show that 320 patients from Iraq and 128 patients from Afghanistan were aeromedically evacuated from theatre to the UK and transferred to a hospital. In 2007 (up to 31 August), centrally available records show that 254 patients from Iraq and 251 patients from Afghanistan were aeromedically evacuated from theatre to the UK and transferred to a hospital.
	Data is not available for this period on the number of those who were discharged at the airhead but went to a medical facility other than a hospital. DASA instituted a system for tracking this information with effect from October 2007.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the  (a) total UK military helicopter fleet and  (b) the helicopter fleet deployed in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan are considered (A) fit for service and (B) fit for purpose, broken down by helicopter type.

Des Browne: The percentage of the total number of military helicopters in the Forward Fleet and considered 'fit for purpose' is detailed in the following table. Fit for purpose is defined as helicopters that are available, reliable, airworthy and capable of carrying out their planned missions on a given date. The term 'fit for service' is not recognised in this context.
	
		
			  Helicopter type  Fit for purpose (Percentage) 
			 Agusta A109 75 
			 Apache 50 
			 Chinook 2/2a 67 
			 Gazelle AMI 81 
			 Lynx MK 3 and 8 69 
			 Lynx MK 7 and 9 57 
			 Merlin MK 1 41 
			 Merlin MK 3 50 
			 Puma 64 
			 Sea King MK 3/3A 64 
			 Sea King MK 4/6C 52 
			 Sea King MK 5 54 
			 Sea King MK 7 44 
		
	
	These numbers will vary from day-to-day. The figures shown are the average for the month of August 2007.
	All UK helicopters deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan are considered fit for purpose, but not all will be available for operational flying each day due to routine maintenance requirements. However, operational capability is measured in terms of flying hours rather than the number of airframes available, and sufficient helicopters and helicopter hours are provided to meet essential operational commitments. We continue to review these operational requirements and do adjust as necessary.

Medals

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future location of the office issuing medals to members of the Army; what assessment he has made of the impact of any future move of the office on  (a) staff and  (b) the effectiveness of the issuing process; and what further costs will be incurred in any such move.

Derek Twigg: I have yet to receive the Business Case in support of the recent Study into the future accommodation requirements of the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency.
	However, I can assure the hon. Gentleman that when I come to look at its recommendations, I will of course take into consideration the impact of any decision made to the services delivered by the Ministry of Defence Medal Office.
	I will inform Parliament once a decision has been made.

Nuclear Weapons: Testing

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department  (a) was invited to attend and  (b) attended the meetings on nuclear test veterans held on 15 and 16 October 2007 at the House of Commons, chaired by the hon. Members for Norwich North and Billericay.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence was invited to attend a parliamentary inquiry into the health effects of Operation Grapple (UK nuclear tests of 1957-58). MOD declined to be involved in this inquiry because its proposed scope is the subject of current civil proceedings. Two MOD officials attended the inquiry as observers.

Territorial Army: Health

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what account is taken of performance in the combat fitness test in the assessment of  (a) suitability and  (b) progress of Territorial Army applicants for potential junior NCO courses; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Territorial Army personnel are only usually allowed to undertake potential Junior Non-Commissioned Officer (JNCO) courses if they have passed the Military Annual Training Test (MATT), of which the Combat Fitness Test (CFT) is a constituent part and if they are deemed suitable (including being mentally and physically fit) to attend by their unit.
	TA personnel who are unable to meet the JNCO course standards set out by their Corps (including the CFT if it is part of the syllabus) are unlikely to progress and be recommended for promotion.

TRiM Programme

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evaluation has been made of the efficacy of the TRIM programme.

Derek Twigg: The Academic Centre for Defence Mental Health and the Kings Centre for Military Health Research, has conducted a randomised control trial into Trauma Risk Management (TRiM). The study was fully funded by the MOD. The results of this trial will be published in due course.

Warships: Brunei

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Brunei on the on-selling of three BAe-built warships by that country; what the requirements are for end-user reporting and certification; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Defence Ministers have had no discussions with the Brunei Government about potential purchasers for the three offshore patrol vessels built by BAE Systems.
	As the ships are controlled for export and are in the UK, a licence will be required before export. Applicants are required to provide details of the end-user as part of the licensing process.

Ambulance Services

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he is giving to NHS ambulance trusts in light of the Sheffield Study.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department does not plan to issue any guidance to NHS ambulance trusts in the light of the study undertaken by the Medical Care Research Unit in Sheffield, subsequently published in the Emergency Medicine Journal.
	It is for the local NHS to plan and provide services. The organisation of services is therefore a matter for local NHS organisations, working with their strategic health authorities and stakeholders. The NHS should seek to provide care as close to home as is compatible with clinical safety and therefore how the NHS responds to emergencies needs to focus not just on getting the patient to a particular location, but also on taking care to the patient. In addition, in order to provide patients requiring particular specialised services with safe, high quality care, it may be appropriate to have the expertise, experience and equipment in fewer locations.

Ambulance Services: Standards

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the lowest number of ambulances available for emergency response in Shropshire is likely to be on a single day in 2007-08; whether there is a minimum number of on call units set for safe coverage; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many ambulances were available for emergency response in Shropshire  (a) in each month from December 2006 and  (b) on each day in October 2007.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member should contact his ambulance trust for this information.

Anti-psychotic Drugs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2007,  Official Report, columns 408-9W, on anti-psychotic drugs, how many adverse reaction reports were received through the yellow card system for  (a) all anti-psychotic drugs,  (b) traditional anti-psychotic drugs and  (c) atypical anti-psychotic drugs since 31 December 2006; how many prescriptions there were for each type of drug for those aged (i) 60 to 64, (ii) 65 to 74 and (iii) 75 years and over in that period; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many adverse reaction reports were received through the yellow card reporting system for  (a) all anti-psychotic drugs,  (b) traditional anti-psychotic drugs and  (c) atypical anti-psychotic drugs in (i) 2004-05, (ii) 2005-06 and (iii) 2006-07, broken down by those aged (A) 50 to 64, (B) 65 to 74 and (C) 75 years and over; and how many prescriptions were issued for each type of drug in each year;
	(3)  how many adverse reaction reports were received through the yellow card reporting system for  (a) all anti-psychotic drugs,  (b) traditional anti-psychotic drugs and  (c) atypical anti-psychotic drugs in 2006; and how many prescriptions there were for each type of drug for those aged (i) 50 to 64, (ii) 65 to 74 and (iii) 75 years and over.

Dawn Primarolo: Anti-psychotic drugs are used in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses, and as with all marketed drugs their safety is continually monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Commission for Human Medicines (CHM). The British National Formulary lists antipsychotic medicines in sections 4.2.1 and 4.2.2.
	The numbers of anti-psychotic prescription items from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) database are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Numbers of prescriptions showing numbers of anti-psychotic prescription items between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2007 
			  Financial year  All anti-psychotics  Atypical anti-psychotics  Traditional anti-psychotics 
			 2004-05 5,666,765 3,314,862 2,351,903 
			 2005-06 5,970,940 3,721,212 2,249,728 
			 2006-07 6,308,226 4,175,920 2,132,306 
		
	
	The necessary information is not available to break these figures down into the age groups in the first part of the question.
	Reports of "suspected" adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are collected by the MHRA and CHM through the spontaneous reporting scheme; the Yellow Card Scheme.
	The following tables show the number of suspected ADR reports received by the MHRA in the specified time periods where an anti-psychotic drug was listed by the reporter as being suspect. The total ADR reports for all anti-psychotics is not equal to the sum of both atypical and traditional anti-psychotics since an individual ADR report may provide more than one drug as suspect.
	
		
			  Suspected ADR reports received by the MHRA between 31 December 2006 and 21 October 2007 
			   Number 
			 All anti-psychotics 1,865 
			 Atypical anti-psychotics 1,752 
			 Traditional anti-psychotics 137 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of suspected ADR reports received by the MHRA between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2007, broken down by financial year and into age groups of 50-64 years, 65-74 years and 75 or over years 
			  All anti - psychotics  Age group 
			  Financial  y ear  50-64  65-74  75+  Total all age groups 
			 2004-05 379 96 84 2,216 
			 2005-06 371 97 73 2,495 
			 2006-07 392 94 72 2,218 
		
	
	
		
			  Atypical anti-psychotics  Age group 
			  Financial year  50-64  65-74  75+  Total all age groups 
			 2004-05 362 78 78 2,111 
			 2005-06 345 85 57 2,315 
			 2006-07 352 81 56 2,034 
		
	
	
		
			  Traditional anti-psychotics  Age group 
			  Financial year  50-64  65-74  75+  Total all age groups 
			 2004-05 17 17 7 113 
			 2005-06 30 13 18 204 
			 2006-07 41 11 21 199 
		
	
	
		
			  Suspected ADR reports received by the MHRA between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2006 
			   Number 
			 All anti-psychotics 2,127 
			 Atypical anti-psychotics 1,920 
			 Traditional anti-psychotics 226 
		
	
	It is important to note that the submission of a suspected ADR report does not necessarily mean that it was caused by the drug. Many factors have to be taken into account in assessing causal relationships including temporal association, the possible contribution of concomitant medication and the underlying disease.

Blood: Donors

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the compliance with human rights legislation of his Department's policy that gay and bisexual men may not donate blood to the National Blood Service.

Ivan Lewis: The Department considers that donor selection criterion is compliant with the Human Rights Act 1998. The aim of donor selection criteria is to protect the health of the population and has proven to be an essential element in reducing transfusion-transmitted infections. Donor selection criteria, including this one, are set by the Joint UK Blood Transfusion Services and National Institute of Biological Standards and Control Professional Advisory Committee, and kept under review by the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs for Transplantation.

Blood: Prisoners

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what records are kept relating to blood donations made by prisoners in secure accommodation for the manufacture of UK blood products since 1979; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when the National Blood Service stopped accepting donations from prisoners held in secure accommodation in  (a) England,  (b) Scotland and  (c) Wales as a source of blood products for the manufacture of blood products; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 25 October 2007
	Prior to 1993, the blood services were managed on a regional basis. We have established that Regional Transfusion Directors in England started to phase out blood collections from prisons from 1980. We do not hold information for Scotland and Wales.
	The Department does not hold information relating to individual blood donations made by prisoners. However, the Department is in the process of releasing all the documents which were considered in the "Review of Documentation Relating to the Safety of Blood Products 1970-1985 (Non-A, Non-B Hepatitis)". Numerous documents are already in the public domain, including some documentation which relate to the use of blood from prisons, although not on individual donations. These papers are available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Freedomofinformationpublicationschemefeedback/FOIreleases/DH_076693

Bolinbroke Hospital: Out-patients

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to make a decision on the transfer of out-patient services from Bolinbroke hospital to St. John's Therapy Centre referred by Wandsworth council.

Ben Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has requested the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) to undertake an assessment to determine the suitability of the case from Wandsworth Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) for full IRP review and they have provided their advice.
	My right hon. Friend has accepted in full the recommendations of the IRP. This means that the proposals relating to the transfer of the majority of services in the short term from Bolingbroke hospital to St. John's Therapy Centre and to close, but not dispose of, the site until consultation on the long term future of health services in Battersea and North Wandsworth is complete should be implemented. The Secretary of State has written to the HOSC council, the local national health service and all local hon. Members informing them of the decision.

Breasts: Health Services

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to implement the Government commitment that everyone with breast problems should see a specialist within two weeks of a referral by their GP.

Ann Keen: In September, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister announced proposals for cancer services including a guaranteed appointment with a specialist within two weeks of referral for all patients with breast problems, not just those with suspected cancer.
	We aim to publish the Cancer Reform Strategy, which will set out the future direction of cancer services in England, by the end of the year. Details on the implementation of the proposals already announced will be issued in due course.

Central Middlesex Birthing Centre: Admissions

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were admitted to Central Middlesex Birthing Centre in each year since it was opened.

Ben Bradshaw: This information is not held centrally by the Department. Figures for admission episodes are only held at trust level, and can not be broken down to individual hospital. The following table shows the amount of in-patients admitted to North West London Hospitals NHS Trust since 2004.
	
		
			   Finished in year admission episodes 
			 2004-05 89,743 
			 2005-06 90,069 
			  Notes: 1. Finished in-year admissions: A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the data year. Please note that admissions to not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. Data Quality: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent over by over 300 national health service trusts and primary care trusts in England. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  3. Ungrossed data: Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data.  Source: HES, The Information Centre for health and social care.

Chiropody: Standards

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include chiropody in the NHS maximum waiting time target of 18 weeks; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Therapies and treatments delivered by health professions, including chiropody services are included in the 18-week maximum waiting time target if they form part of a consultant-led pathway.
	In order to support all services provided by allied health professionals, the Department is implementing a therapies improvement programme. The programme will focus on improving access to allied health professional services, the available information and data management. The programme will support improvement in therapy services through providing local events and information for allied health professionals and local health communities.

Chlamydia: Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department is making towards the aim that primary care trusts should screen 15 per cent. of the 15 to 24 year old population for chlamydia; when his Department set this aim; whether this aim refers to the proportion of the 15 to 24 year old population screened over a number of years or annually; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Local Delivery Plans are negotiated as part of the Operating Framework for the national health service for 2007-08. All primary care trusts are expected to screen 15 per cent. of the target population between April 2007 and March 2008 and strategic health authorities submitted plans on how they intend to reach the target in this year. For the first quarter of 2007-08 there were 45,845 screens reported to the Health Protection Agency, this equates to 0.6 per cent. of the target population. The second quarter data will be published in November. For chlamydia screening, the 15 per cent. target refers to the population between the ages of 15-24 in England provided by the Office for National Statistics.

Clostridium

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the prevalence of  (a) clostridium difficile and  (b) MRSA was in each of the last three years using the definition of prevalence included in the Third Prevalence Survey of Healthcare Associated Infections in Acute Hospitals in England 2006, published by his Department on 12 September.

Ann Keen: It is not possible to compare the results of the Third Prevalence Survey of Healthcare Associated Infections in acute hospitals in England 2006 with the incidence data collected by the Health Protection Agency on  Clostridium difficile and Methicillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus as these are fundamentally different ways of collecting information on infection rates.

Continence and Stoma Review

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role Deloitte MCS has played in the continence and stoma review; whether payment by results was included in the contract between his Department and Deloitte; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Deloitte are acting as advisers to the Department on this review. The contract between the Department and its adviser is commercial in confidence.

Dental Services

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of people using NHS dentists as a percentage of the population in  (a) East Midlands,  (b) East of England,  (c) London,  (d) North East,  (e) North West,  (f) South Central,  (g) South East Coast,  (h) South West,  (i) West Midlands and  (j) Yorkshire and The Humber strategic health authority area.

Ann Keen: The numbers of patients seen in the 24-month period ending 31 March 2007 expressed as a percentage of the population are available in Tables Cl and C2 of Annex 3 of the "NHS Dental Statistics for England 2006-07" report.
	Information is available at strategic health authority and primary care trust area in England.
	This report is available in the Library and is also available at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0607

Dental Services: Greater London

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the population in each London borough are registered with a  (a) dentist and  (b) GP practice.

Ben Bradshaw: The information about the percentage population registered with dentists and general practitioners is not held centrally by the Department.
	With regard to dentists, since April 2006, patients no longer have to be registered with a dental practice to receive national health service care and treatment.
	The closest equivalent measure to 'registration' is the number of patients receiving NHS dental services ('patients seen') in a given area over a 24-month period, expressed as a percentage of the estimated population for that area. However, this is not directly comparable to the registration data for earlier years.
	The numbers of patients seen in the 24 month periods ending 31 March 2006 and 31 March 2007 and the number expressed as a percentage of the population are available in tables C1 and C2 of annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics for England 2006-07 report. Information is available at strategic health authority and primary care trust (PCT) area in England.
	This report is available in the Library and is also available on-line at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0607
	Information cannot be made available at London borough level without disproportionate cost.
	With regard to GPs, GP registered populations for PCTs are available from NHS information systems. Total resident population estimates are available from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) census. However, these two data are not directly comparable for the purposes of working out a proportion of the population registered with a GP.
	Data for the percentage of the population registered with a GP practice is not directly comparable due to:
	people may be on a patient register after having left the country and not deregistered with their GP; similarly people may have moved to another area and not re-registered;
	some patients may have more than one NHS number e.g. they may have been issued a temporary number for a short period;
	a significant proportion of people registered to a GP in one PCT may be resident in another PCT, particularly in urban areas; and
	immigrants may have registered with GP practices before they appear in ONS mid-year estimates.
	These factors have a differential impact from place to place.

Departments: Disabled

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which buildings occupied by his Department  (a) are and  (b) are not fully accessible to disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department occupies six principle buildings, five in London and one in Leeds. All of these buildings are considered by the Department to be fully accessible to disabled persons.

Departments: Internet

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many websites his Department operates; how many it operated at 1 January 2005; and what the estimated annual cost has been of running his Department's websites in the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department is unable to provide the data requested for 1 January 2005 and to gather this information would incur disproportionate costs. However, data as at 31 March 2007 is as follows:
	The Department currently has ownership of two main websites. They are:
	The Department of Health website: www.dh.gov.uk
	NHS Choices: www.nhs.uk
	In addition to the two main websites above, the Department funds and/or manages a further 111 websites.
	The Department is actively engaged in reducing this number of sites, in accordance with the guidelines and timetables set for website rationalisation under Transformational Government. The Department has already shutdown 28 websites and has plans in place to terminate 52 sites out of the 111 figure above. By the end of this project in 2011, all 111 sites will either be closed or migrated to DH.gov.uk, NHS Choices, NHS Direct, Directgov or Business Link.
	To identify the number of agency and non-departmental public body websites associated with the Department of Health, which are not all directly operated by the Department, as at 1 January 2005, would incur disproportionate costs.
	The annual costs for including maintenance and project costs for running the Departments websites are:
	The Department's website: www.dh.gov.uk
	
		
			  Annual costs 
			   £ 
			 2002-03 1,843,960 
			 2003-04 2,799,800 
			 2004-05 724,956 
			 2005-06 1,079,222 
			 2006-07 (1)3,913,643 
			 (1) This includes the cost of contingency arrangements due to the late delivery of the new service, most of which will be recovered in compensation from the supplier. 
		
	
	The Department's website: www.nhs.uk
	
		
			  Annual costs 
			   £ million 
			 2005-06 1.6 
			 2006-07 1.8 
		
	
	Costs for previous years are held on legacy systems and to gather this information would incur disproportionate cost.
	Other Department of Health websites.
	For the additional 111 sites the Department is able to provide an estimated cost for 35 of these sites.
	The total estimated cost for these websites in 2006-07 was £699,134. This cost is
	approximate and cannot be broken down further. It is important to note that some sites include campaign expenditure and start-up funding, and therefore costs will be spread over a period of years. To assemble the statistics for previous years would incur disproportionate cost.

Departments: Internet

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hits the  (a) most popular and  (b) least popular website run by his Department has received since 1 January 2007.

Ben Bradshaw: The most popular DH website run by the Department since 1 January 2007 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Month (2007)  Most popular website  Number of page impressions 
			 January Departmental website (www.dh.gov.uk) 830,614 
			 February Departmental website (www.dh.gov.uk) 767,136 
			 March Departmental website (www.dh.gov.uk) 1,073,029 
			 April Departmental website (www.dh.gov.uk) 909,410 
			 May Departmental website (www.dh.gov.uk) 1,039,017 
			 June Departmental website (www.dh.gov.uk) 962,189 
			 July National Health Service Choices (www.nhs.uk) 1,341,993 
			 August NHS Choices (www.nhs.uk) 1,326,862 
		
	
	In addition to the two websites listed above, the Department funds and/or manages a further 111 websites. To gather the monthly 'hits' data for these sites in order to determine the number of 'hits' on the least popular would incur disproportionate costs.
	The Department is actively engaged in reducing this number of these sites, in accordance with the guidelines and timetables set for website rationalisation under Transformational Government. The Department has already shutdown 27 websites and has plans in place to terminate 53 sites out of the 111 figure above. By the end of this project in 2011, all 111 sites will either be closed or migrated to DH.gov.uk, NHS Choices, NHS Direct, Directgov or Business Link.

Departments: Internet

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many websites his Department has operated in each month since May 2005; what sites his Department currently operates; if he will list all sites his Department has (a) agreed to close and (b) agreed to close in principle; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Department currently has ownership of two main websites. They are:
	The Department's website: www.dh.gov.uk
	NHS Choices: www.nhs.uk
	In addition to the two main websites, the Department on, 31 March 2007, identified a further 111 websites that it currently funds and/or manages.
	Of these, the Department has:
	agreed to close 52 sites and has a firm date/plan to do so.
	agreed in principle to close 56 sites but has not yet brokered this with the relevant stakeholders; and
	identified three sites that are part-funded by the Department and are under further investigation
	A breakdown is provided in the following table.
	Also, the Department's campaign sites (which were previously planned for exemption status) will also be attached to a larger national health service entity or other sites, as appropriate.
	These are:
	www.condomessentialwear.co.uk (previously www.playingsafely.co.uk)
	www.stayinghard.co.uk
	www.gosmokefree.co.uk
	www.uglysmoking.co.uk
	To gather month-by-month data since May 2005 will incur disproportionate cost.
	Sites the Department has agreed to close, and has firm plans and a firm date to do so
	
		
			   Websites 
			 Information www.info.ddh.gov.uk/hscd/nhsft.nsf 
			 NHS—Protocol Based Care www.modern.nhs.uk/protocolbasedcare 
			 Asthma Management www.asthmar-d.org.uk 
			 Bug Investigators www.buginvestigators.co.uk 
			 Carers Government www.carers.gov.uk 
			 Centre for Healthcare Architecture and Design www.chad.dh.gov.uk 
			 Chief Medical Officer's website survey www.info.doh.gov.uk/cmo/cmosur01.nsf/frmcmosurvey?openform 
			 Childcare co-ordinators database e.doh.gov.uk/childcarecoordinators/search.asp 
			 Children's National Service Framework www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/nsfrusers.nsf/Main?readForm 
			 Clean Hospitals www.cleanhospitals.com 
			 Departmental Publications www.publications.doh.gov.uk 
			 Departmental tag team disc www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/tagteamdisc.nsf/main?readform&login 
			 DVTA www.dvta.nhs.uk 
			 Emergency care discussion forum www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/emergencycareforum.nsf/ 
			 End of life care www.endoflifecare.nhs.uk 
			 Health at work www.healthatwork.nhs.uk 
			 Health in prisons www.hipp-europe.org 
			 Independence, well-being and choice, a Green Paper on Adult Social Care: Format Request www.info.doh.gov.uk/ASC/ASCGP01.nsf/frmMedReq?OpenForm 
			 Inspection of Social Care Services for Disabled People www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/nursinglistdiscuss.nsf 
			 Inspection of Social Care Services for Disabled People www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/scrquest.nsf/home?readform 
			 Leadership through effective people management www.hrmdev.com 
			 Letters and circulars www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/coin4.nsf/circulars?readform 
			 Media Centre www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/intpress.nsf/page/2002-0531?opendocument 
			 Minority Health www.minorityhealth.gov.uk 
			 National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services www.childrensnsfcasestudies.dh.gov.uk/children/nsfcasestudies.nsf 
			 NatPaCT www.natpact.nhs.uk 
			 NHS Equality www.equality.nhs.uk 
			 NHS Estates-Decontamination www.decontamination.nhsestates.gov.uk 
			 NHS Estates Chad www.nhsestates/chad/chad content/home/asp 
			 NHS Fellowships www.nhs.uk/fellowships 
			 NHS Graduates www.graduates.modern.nhs.uk 
			 NHS Organ Donor www.nhs.uk/organdonor/thesolution 
			 NHS Research Ethics www.corecform.org.uk 
			 Committee Application Form  
			 NHSU www.nhsu.nhs.uk 
			 Nursing Leadership www.nursingleadership.co.uk 
			 Out of Hours www.out-of-hours.info 
			 Playing Safely www.playingsafely.co.uk 
			 Protection of children Act Tribunal (1) www.pocat.gov.uk 
			 Royal Commission—Elderly www. royal-commission-elderly.gov.uk 
			 The Big Quit www.thebigquit.co.uk. 
			 Wrecked www.wrecked.co.uk 
			 www.haznet.org.uk www.haznet.org.uk 
			 www.hcsambassadors.org www.hcsambassadors.org 
			 Your Life www.yourlife.nhs.uk 
			 National Research Register www.nrr.nhs.uk 
			 RD Info www.rdinfo.org.uk 
			 RD Learning www.rdlearning.org.uk 
			 RDDirect www.rddirect.org.uk 
			 Research Findings Register www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/refr_web.nsf/Home?OpenForm 
			 Research Findings Register www.refer.nhs.uk 
			 York CRD www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/index.htm 
			 Forensic Mental Health www.nfmhp.org.uk/index.htm 
			 Health Impact Gateway www.hiagateway.org.uk 
			 (1 )site closed since publication of progress report. 
		
	
	Sites the Department has agreed in principle to close but has not brokered this with its stakeholders and/or does not have firm plans/firm date to do so yet.
	
		
			   Websites 
			 18 Weeks www.18weeks.nhs.uk 
			 Activity DataBase www.adb.dh.gov.uk 
			 Advisory Bodies www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk 
			 Better Hospital Food (1) www.betterhospitalfood.com 
			 Breast feeding www.breastfeeding.nhs.uk 
			 CMO Update Registration www.info.doh.gov.uk/cmo/CMOUpdate.nsf/RegistrationMenu?Open 
			 Departmental Thesaurus www.multites.com/dhthesaurus 
			 Drug Education and Prevention Information Service (DEPIS) www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/depisusers.nsf/Main?readForm 
			 Editorial Library www.editoriallibrary.nhs.uk 
			 European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) www.new-ehic.org.uk 
			 Face It www.hepc.nhs.uk 
			 Finance Manual www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/finman.nsf 
			 Five a day www.5aday.nhs.uk 
			 Healthy Start www.healthystart.nhs.uk 
			 Healthy Start www.hsru.co.uk 
			 http://194.200.241.107/fd/finallow.nsf/main?readform http://194.200.241.107/fd/finallow.nsf/main?readform 
			 Immunisation Group Web Programme (IGWP) www.info.doh.gov.uk/Cvts/VTSPCW.nsf 
			 Information Asset Register www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/iar.nsf?open 
			 Internal Guidance www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/notice.nsf/frames2?openform 
			 Knowledge and information portal www.estatesknowledge.dh.gov.uk 
			 Mosaic www.mosaic.nhs.uk 
			 National Leadership Network www.nationalleadershipnetwork.org 
			 National Service Framework for Older People—Older People Champions www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/oldpeople.nsf/main?readform 
			 NHS Decontamination Training Programme www.decontaminationtraining.nhsestates.gov.uk 
			 NHS Factsheets www.info.doh.gov.uk/nhsfactsheets.nsf 
			 NHS Identity www.nhsidentity.nhs.uk 
			 NHS Photo Library www.photolibrary.nhs.uk 
			 NHS Plus www.nhsplus.nhs.uk 
			 OneDesign www.design.dh.gov.uk 
			 Pathology Discussion Forum www.info.doh.gov.uk/pathology/patdis01.nsf 
			 Performance Data www.performance.doh.gov.uk 
			 Primary Care www.primarycare.nhsestates.gov.uk 
			 ProCure21 www.nhs-procure21.gov.uk 
			 Public Health Link www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/embroadcast.nsf 
			 Putting Action On Health Inequalities Into Practice www.info.doh.gov.uk/publichealth/hidis.nsf 
			 Renal Learning Sets Discussion Forum www.info.doh.gov.uk/renalnsf/renaltrans.nsf 
			 Safety Alert Broadcast System www.info.doh.gov.uk/sar/cmopatie.nsf 
			 Sector 64 Grants www.info.doh.gov.uk/Sect64/S64users.nsf 
			 Senior Dental Leadership Team Website www.info.doh.gov.uk/nhs/cdoweb.nsf/Main?OpenFrameset 
			 Social Care Careers www.socialcarecareers.co.uk 
			 Social Work and Care www.socialworkandcare.co.uk 
			 Social Work Careers www.socialworkcareers.co.uk 
			 Treatment Centres www.treatmentcentres.org.uk 
			 www.info.doh.gov.uk/alb/albchange.nsf www.info.doh.gov.uk/alb/albchange.nsf 
			 www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/nhslift.nsf/main?readform www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/nhslift.nsf/main?readform 
			 www.nhsprocure21.dh.gov.uk www.nhsprocure21.dh.gov.uk 
			 Policy Research Programme www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/rd2policy.nsf 
			 Drugs Misuse Research Initiative www.mdx.ac.uk/www/drugsmisuse/ 
			 Information and Communication Technology Research Initiative www.disco.port.ac.uk/ictri 
			 Involve www.invo.org.uk 
			 National Co-ordinating Centre for Research Methodology www.pcpoh.bham.ac.uk/publichealth/nccrm/index.htm 
			 National Horizon Scanning Centre www.pcpoh.bham.ac.uk/publichealth/horizon/ 
			 The National Coordinating Centre for Research Capacity Development www.nccrcd.nhs.uk 
			 Website rationalisation progress report—March 31, 2007

Diabetes

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) males and  (b) females were diagnosed with diabetes in (i) Southend, (ii) each borough in Essex, (iii) each borough in Kent, (iv) the Metropolitan Police area of London and (v) England in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by age group.

Ann Keen: The following table shows the number of patients 17 years and over diagnosed with diabetes, as identified by General Practitioner (GP) practices in Essex, Kent and London strategic health authorities, and in England, in the last three years. These figures are cumulative, rather than representing new diagnoses. Figures broken down by age group and gender are not available.
	Detailed figures for Essex, Kent and London by primary care trust:
	
		
			   Strategic health authority( 1)  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Q03 Essex 53,107 58,110 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 56,092 59,627 
			 Q05 North Central London 42,615 44,358 
			 Q06 North East London 66,488 71,062 
			 Q04 North West London 73,501 77,805 
			 Q07 South East London 52,257 56,030 
			 Q08 South West London 43,666 46,622 
			 
			  England 1,760,000 1,890,000 
			 (1 )Based on old strategic health authority boundaries .  Source: Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF data). Information Centre for health and social care, 2004-05 and 2005-06. 
		
	
	
		
			   Strategic health authority( 1)  2006-07 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 202,796 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 300,567 
			 Q37 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 152,785 
			
			  England 1,960,000 
			 (1) Based on new strategic health authority boundaries from 2006.  Source: Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF data). Information Centre for health and social care, 2006-07.  
		
	
	Patients with diabetes aged under 17 are not included because they are regarded as receiving their diabetes management in the secondary care sector.
	
		
			  Number of patients 17 years and over diagnosed with diabetes identified by GP practices in England, Essex, Kent and London, 2004-05 to 2006-07 
			   Strategic health authority   Primary care trust  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Q03 Essex 5GR Basildon 3,571 4,081 
			 Q03 Essex TAG Braintree Care Trust 4,407 4,804 
			 Q03 Essex 5GP Brentwood Billericay and Wickford 3,970 4,386 
			 Q03 Essex 5JP Castle Point and Rochford 5,246 5,763 
			 Q03 Essex 5JN Chelmsford 4,153 4,454 
			 Q03 Essex 5GM Colchester 4,516 5,147 
			 Q03 Essex 5AJ Epping Forest 3,506 3,810 
			 Q03 Essex 5DC Harlow 3,141 3,289 
			 Q03 Essex 5GL Maldon and South Chelmsford 2,447 2,674 
			 Q03 Essex 5AK Southend 5,193 5,786 
			 Q03 Essex 5AH Tendring 6,026 6,390 
			 Q03 Essex 5GQ Thurrock 4,849 5,330 
			 Q03 Essex 5GN Uttlesford 2,082 2,196 
			 Q03 Essex   53,107 58,110 
			   
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 5LL Ashford 3,488 3,788 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 5LM Canterbury and Coastal 6,010 6,370 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 5CM Dartford Gravesham and Swanley 8,080 8,443 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 5LN East Kent Coastal 9,201 9,749 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 5L2 Maidstone Weald 7,532 8,020 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 5L3 Medway 8,919 9,667 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 5LP Shepway 3,861 4,047 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 5FF South West Kent 5,428 5,676 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 5L4 Swale 3,573 3,867 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway   56,092 59,627 
			   
			 Q05 North Central London 5A9 Barnet 12,178 12,915 
			 Q05 North Central London 5K7 Camden 5,691 5,893 
			 Q05 North Central London 5C1 Enfield 9,708 10,588 
			 Q05 North Central London 5C9 Haringey 8,989 8,468 
			 Q05 North Central London 5K8 Islington 6,049 6,494 
			 Q05 North Central London   42,615 44,358 
			   
			 Q06 North East London 5C2 Barking and Dagenham 6,122 6,546 
			 Q06 North East London 5C3 City and Hackney Primary Care Team 8,644 8,676 
			 Q06 North East London 5A4 Havering 8,306 8,924 
			 Q06 North East London 5C5 Newham Primary Care Team 13,805 14,596 
			 Q06 North East London SNA Redbridge 10,133 11,802 
			 Q06 North East London 5C4 Tower Hamlets Primary Care Team 9,402 9,812 
			 Q06 North East London 5NC Waltham Forest 10,076 10,706 
			 Q06 North East London   66,488 71,062 
			   
			 Q04 North West London 5K5 Brent 15,236 15,928 
			 Q04 North West London 5HX Ealing 14,409 15,418 
			 Q04 North West London 5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham 4,961 5,236 
			 Q04 North West London 5K6 Harrow 10,233 10,846 
			 Q04 North West London SAT Hillingdon 9,154 9,701 
			 Q04 North West London SHY Hounslow 9,180 9,794 
			 Q04 North West London 5LA Kensington and Chelsea 4,117 4,436 
			 Q04 North West London 5LC Westminster 6,211 6,446 
			 Q04 North West London   73,501 77,805 
			   
			 Q07 South East London TAK Bexley Care Trust 7,589 8,240 
			 Q07 South East London 5A7 Bromley 9,244 10,084 
			 Q07 South East London 5A8 Greenwich 7,443 8,072 
			 Q07 South East London 5LD Lambeth 9,875 10,179 
			 Q07 South East London 5LF Lewisham 9,347 10,161 
			 Q07 South East London 5LE Southwark 8,759 9,294 
			 Q07 South East London   52,257 56,030 
			   
			 Q08 South West London 5K9 Croydon 13,052 13,915 
			 Q08 South West London 5A5 Kingston 5,109 5,478 
			 Q08 South West London 5M6 Richmond and Twickenham 4,235 4,413 
			 Q08 South West London 5M7 Sutton and Merton 12,414 13,406 
			 Q08 South West London 5LG Wandsworth 8,856 9,410 
			 Q08 South West London   43,666 46,622 
			   
			  England   1,760,000 1,890,000 
			  Source:  Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF data).Information Centre for health and social care, 2004-05 and 2005-06. 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of patients 17 years and over diagnosed with diabetes identified by GP practices in England, Essex, Kent and London, 2006-07 
			   Strategic health authority   Primary care trust  2006-07 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 5P2 Bedfordshire PCT 14,970 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 5PP Cambridgeshire PCT 19,579 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 5P3 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 18,244 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 5PR Great Yarmouth And Waveney Teaching PCT 9,173 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 5GC Luton 8,092 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 5PX Mid Essex PCT 12,405 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 5PQ Norfolk Primary Care Trust 27,486 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 5PW North East Essex PCT 12,433 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 5PN Peterborough PCT 6,279 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 5P1 South East Essex PCT 12,499 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority SPY South West Essex PCT 14,298 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority  5PT Suffolk PCT 20,590 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 5PV West Essex PCT 9,713 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 5P4 West Hertfordshire PCT 17,035 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority   202,796 
			  
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5C2 Barking and Dagenham PCT 6,816 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5A9 Barnet Primary Care Trust 13,351 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority TAK Bexley Care Trust 8,503 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5K5 Brent PCT 16,068 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5A7 Bromley PCT 10,520 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5K7 Camden Primary Care Trust 5,840 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5C3 City And Hackney Primary Care Team 9,257 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5K9 Croydon Primary Care Trust 14,238 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5HX Ealing PCT 15,703 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5C1 Enfield PCT 10,176 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5A8 Greenwich PCT 8,296 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 5,268 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5C9 Haringey PCT 9,484 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5K6 Harrow PCT 11,242 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5A4 Havering PCT 9,281 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5AT Hillingdon PCT 10,246 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5HY Hounslow PCT 9,780 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5K8 Islington Primary Care Trust 6,513 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5LA Kensington and Chelsea PCT 4,207 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5A5 Kingston 5,629 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5LD Lambeth PCT 10,456 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5LF Lewisham PCT 10,662 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5C5 Newham Primary Care Team 14,809 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5NA Redbridge PCT 11,414 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5M6 Richmond and Twickenham 4,556 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5LE Southwark PCT 9,135 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT 13,529 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5C4 Tower Hamlets Primary Care Team 9,941 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5NC Waltham Forest PCT 9,931 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5LG Wandsworth PCT 9,294 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 5LC Westminster PCT 6,422 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority   300,567 
			  
			 Q37 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 5LQ Brighton And Hove City Teaching PCT 7,839 
			 Q37 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 5P7 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 12,186 
			 Q37 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 5QA Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 28,913 
			 Q37 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 5P8 Hastings and Rother PCT 6,882 
			 Q37 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 5L3 Medway PCT 10,377 
			 Q37 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 5P5 Surrey PCT 34,823 
			 Q37 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 5P9 West Kent PCT 23,082 
			 037 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 5P6 West Sussex PCT 28,683 
			 Q37 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority   152,785 
			  
			  England   1,960,000 
			  Source:  Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF data). Information Centre for health and social care, 2006-07.

Diabetes: Eastern Region

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were diagnosed with diabetes in  (a) East of England and  (b) Suffolk in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The information is not available in the format requested. The following table shows data on the number of patients on diabetes registers in general practices is available from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) data available on the Information Centre website but only for the financial years 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07.
	
		
			   2006-07  2005-06  2004-05 
			   Patients  Identified prevalence (Percentage)  Patients  Identified prevalence (Percentage)  Patients  Identified prevalence (Percentage) 
			 East of England SNA 202,796 3.5 — — — — 
			 Suffolk PCT 20,590 3.4 — — — — 
			
			 East of England SNA — — 194,917 3.4 181,928 3.2 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire — — 80,190 3.5 75,633 3.3 
			 Essex — — 58,110 3.4 53,107 3.1 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire — — 56,617 3.2 53,188 3.1 
			 Suffolk PCT Total — — 19,755 3.3 18,491 3.2 
			 Central Suffolk — — 3,398 3.3 3,220 3.1 
			 Ipswich — — 5,023 3.3 4,714 3.1 
			 Suffolk Coastal — — 3,473 3.4 3,103 3.2 
			 Suffolk West — — 7,861 3.4 7,454 3.2 
			  Notes: Due to changes in strategic health authority (SHA) and primary care trust (PCT) configurations, and the fact that East of England SHA and Suffolk PCT only came into existence in 2006, the figures quoted for 2005-06 and 2004-05 were originally for the old SHAs (Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, Essex and Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire) and PCTs (Central Suffolk, Ipswich, Suffolk Coastal and Suffolk West) that were in existence at the time have been summed to give figures for the new bodies.  Diabetes Prevalence The disease register in QOF for diabetes does not include any patient below the age of 17. However, the denominator is all registered patients. This means that the reported prevalence is lower than the actual value.  Coverage of QOF Patients will only contribute to the figures in QOF if they are registered with a general practice participating in QOF. Not all practices participate in QOF and some participate in only some parts (especially PMS practices who are paid under different arrangements for providing services which are part of QOF for CMS practices). Most indicators in QOF have rules which allow for patients to be excluded (e.g. patient refuses treatment) and so the denominator for a given indicator may be less than the number of patients on the register for that disease. Note also that some indicators have age limits and so exclude some patients on the register.  Source: Information Centre for health and social care.

Diabetes: Research

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated by his Department on the causes of type 1 diabetes; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government support medical and clinical research. The MRC supports a portfolio of research relating to diabetes. Expenditure on the portfolio in 2005-06 was £13.9 million.
	The Department funds national health service research and development through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The Institute's Diabetes Research Network, one of six topic specific networks, brings together NHS staff and resources to support randomised controlled trials and other well-designed studies for commercial and non-commercial sponsors. These include a study of the epigenetics of type 1 diabetes using identical twins. The NIHR is investing £20 million over five years in the network.
	The Department also funds the Yorkshire register of diabetes in children and young people. Data derived from the register is used in epidemiological studies and in aetiological research, and contributes to the European study of childhood type 1 diabetes.

Elderly: Malnutrition

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths were caused by malnutrition among those aged over 65 years in the last 10 years, broken down by age and region; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 29 October 2007:
	 The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths were caused by malnutrition among those aged over 65 years in the last 10 years, broken down by age and region. I am replying in her absence. (160867)
	The attached table provides the numbers of deaths where malnutrition or effects of hunger were mentioned on the death certificate, by age group for persons aged 65 years and over, for each government office region in England, and for Wales, for the years 1997 to 2006 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Table 1. Deaths from malnutrition and effects of hunger( 1) , persons aged 65 and over by age group, by Government office region in England( 2) , and Wales, 1997-2006( 3) 
			  Deaths (persons) 
			   Age (years) 
			   65-69  70-74  75-79  80-84  85+ 
			  North East  
			 1997 3 3 4 2 3 
			 1998 2 1 — 2 7 
			 1999 1 2 3 3 5 
			 2000 4 5 2 4 5 
			 2001 3 2 5 2 8 
			 2002 2 2 6 3 6 
			 2003 1 1 — 2 9 
			 2004 2 — 3 4 1 
			 2005 1 1 3 2 4 
			 2006 1 1 5 5 7 
			   
			  North West  
			 1997 2 6 4 8 9 
			 1998 5 1 3 7 11 
			 1999 6 4 5 4 7 
			 2000 2 6 4 2 8 
			 2001 2  4 6 8 
			 2002 2 4 3 7 9 
			 2003 1 6 7 3 8 
			 2004 3 4 10 7 9 
			 2005 2 7 5 7 6 
			 2006 4 — 5 4 8 
			   
			  Yorkshire and the Humber  
			 1997 — 6 3 8 12 
			 1998 3 2 4 5 9 
			 1999 4 3 1 6 6 
			 2000 1 1 4 3 6 
			 2001 2 3 3 3 4 
			 2002 3 3 3 1 5 
			 2003 1 4 3 6 10 
			 2004 2 3 4 — 4 
			 2005 1 2 1 3 4 
			 2006 4 2 2 3 6 
			   
			  East Midlands  
			 1997 2 3 3 2 2 
			 1998 2 3 4 11 9 
			 1999 2 3 2 6 10 
			 2000 2 4 5 3 10 
			 2001 1 3 3 3 4 
			 2002 1 5 1 5 3 
			 2003 1 2 3 1 7 
			 2004 3 4 1 5 5 
			 2005 1 6 3 7 6 
			 2006 2 1 7 6 7 
			   
			  West Midlands  
			 1997 6 3 12 12 21 
			 1998 3 9 5 7 10 
			 1999 2 8 5 10 20 
			 2000 4 7 9 8 8 
			 2001 3 2 6 4 9 
			 2002 5 2 6 11 12 
			 2003 1 4 6 7 7 
			 2004 2 3 12 10 10 
			 2005 3 2 2 6 4 
			 2006 3 7 12 2 6 
			   
			  East of England  
			 1997 0 5 5 4 7 
			 1998 3 0 4 5 8 
			 1999 3 4 5 6 11 
			 2000 2 1 3 5 10 
			 2001 0 4 8 6 6 
			 2002 4 4 4 6 10 
			 2003 1 1 2 4 3 
			 2004 2 2 2 3 6 
			 2005 1 3 2 10 17 
			 2006 3 5 3 4 7 
			   
			  London  
			 1997 5 1 2 6 12 
			 1998 2 5 7 6 8 
			 1999 3 4 7 9 11 
			 2000 2 1 5 4 10 
			 2001 0 0 8 3 6 
			 2002 1 2 4 7 4 
			 2003 3 2 4 2 6 
			 2004 2 2 1 0 5 
			 2005 0 3 1 2 5 
			 2006 6 2 2 1 8 
			   
			  South East  
			 1997 3 3 6 5 14 
			 1998 3 6 4 5 10 
			 1999 1 9 6 7 13 
			 2000 4 2 12 3 11 
			 2001 1 2 3 7 8 
			 2002 4 2 3 6 14 
			 2003 2 2 7 4 8 
			 2004 2 3 3 9 11 
			 2005 3 5 5 9 10 
			 2006 3 9 7 10 18 
			   
			  South West  
			 1997 2 6 5 6 23 
			 1998 3 3 10 7 21 
			 1999 5 2 7 6 5 
			 2000 4 5 6 5 15 
			 2001 5 0 6 1 10 
			 2002 1 3 5 3 8 
			 2003 1 2 5 4 5 
			 2004 2 2 4 9 14 
			 2005 3 3 5 6 5 
			 2006 2 5 6 4 12 
			   
			  Wales  
			 1997 1 0 6 4 1 
			 1998 1 2 5 5 9 
			 1999 1 4 2 9 5 
			 2000 2 0 4 4 7 
			 2001 0 3 3 7 9 
			 2002 0 4 3 4 9 
			 2003 3 0 7 3 8 
			 2004 1 1 5 3 5 
			 2005 1 4 3 3 8 
			 2006 4 3 3 8 9 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 260-269 (malnutrition) and E904.1 (effects of hunger) for the years 1997 to 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes E40-E46 (malnutrition) and T73.0 (effects of hunger) for 2001 onwards. Deaths were included where one of these causes was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate. The introduction of ICD-10 in 2001 means that the numbers of deaths from each cause before 2001 are not completely comparable with later years.  (2) Based on boundaries as of 2007.  (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Epsom and St. Helier Primary Care Trust: Personnel

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of staffing costs was spent on agency staff in Epsom and St. Helier Primary Care Trust in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested by the hon. Member for national health service staff salaries and non NHS staff salaries and percentages at Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS trust are provided in the following tables.
	Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS trust was formed in 1999. Figures for the two predecessor trusts that formed it, Epsom Health Care NHS trust and St. Helier NHS trust are provided for 1997-98 and 1998-99.
	
		
			1997-98  1998-99 
			  Organisation code  Organisation name  NHS salaries and wages (£)  Non-NHS salaries and wages—Agency (£)  Agency spend (percentage)  NHS salaries and wages (£)  Non-NHS salaries and wages—Agency (£)  Agency spend (percentage) 
			 RA1 Epsom Health Care NHS Trust 32,498,700 1,449,454 4.27 34,234,209 2,548,974 6.93 
			 RAZ St. Helier NHS Trust 61,454,789 1,915,077 3.02 65,032,965 2,000,378 2.98 
			 
			 RVR Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust — — — — — — 
			 
			 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT — — — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			1999-2000  2000-01 
			  Organisation code  Organisation name  NHS salaries and wages (£)  Non-NHS salaries and wages—Agency (£)  Agency spend (percentage)  NHS salaries and wages (£)  Non-NHS salaries and wages—Agency (£)  Agency spend (percentage) 
			 RA1 Epsom Health Care NHS Trust — — — — — — 
			 RAZ St. Helier NHS Trust — — — — — — 
			 
			 RVR Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust 96,356,278 5,366,279 5.28 * 8,753,789 7.98 
			 
			 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT — — — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			2001-02  2002-03 
			  Organisation code  Organisation name  NHS salaries and wages (£)  Non-NHS salaries and wages—Agency (£)  Agency spend (percentage)  NHS salaries and wages (£)  Non-NHS salaries and wages—Agency (£)  Agency spend (percentage) 
			 RA1 Epsom Health Care NHS Trust — — — — — — 
			 RAZ St. Helier NHS Trust — — — — — — 
			 
			 RVR Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust 112,660,180 12,725,023 10.15 116,297,994 6,623,636 5.39 
			 
			 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT — — — 33,336,796 1,827,001 5.20 
		
	
	
		
			2003-04  2004-05 
			  Organisation code  Organisation name  NHS salaries and wages (£)  Non-NHS salaries and wages—Agency (£)  Agency spend (percentage)  NHS salaries and wages (£)  Non-NHS salaries and wages—Agency (£)  Agency spend (percentage) 
			 RA1 Epsom Health Care NHS Trust — — — — — — 
			 RAZ St. Helier NHS Trust — — — — — — 
			 
			 RVR Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust 132,152,995 4,048,599 2.97 155,606,000 3,085,000 1.94 
			 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT 36,789,126 2,517,461 6.40 42,926,000 3,578,000 7.69 
		
	
	
		
			2005-06 
			  Organisation code  Organisation name  NHS salaries and wages (£)  Non-NHS salaries and wages—Agency (£)  Agency spend (percentage) 
			 RA1 Epsom Health Care NHS Trust — — — 
			 RAZ St. Helier NHS Trust — — — 
			  
			 RVR Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust 170,027,000 3,263,000 1.88 
			  
			 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT 47,461,000 2,456,000 4.92 
			  Notes:  1. Data are not available prior to 1997-98.  2. 2006-07 financial returns are not yet available.  3. In 1999, trusts RA1 and RAZ merged to form RVR.  4. Data for Sutton and Merton PCT are not available prior to 2002-03.  5. Sutton and Merton PCT was created in 2002-03. Due to boundary changes it is not possible to identify the predecessor data for this trust.   Source:  Trust and PCT financial returns 1997-98 to 2005-06.

General Social Care Council: Information Officers

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many press officers are employed by the General Social Care Council.

Ivan Lewis: I understand, after making inquiries of the General Social Care Council that they do not employ press officers. However, they do currently employ three communications executives, who deal with the press office on a rota basis.
	Their responsibilities include:
	responding to telephone and e-mail inquires;
	dealing with ad hoc requests;
	press inquiries;
	research for debates; and
	liaising with the press.

Health Professions: Insurance

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to health trusts on arrangements to be made between trusts on individual healthcare practitioners' insurance liability when working on collaborative projects.

Ann Keen: The Department has not issued specific guidance to national health service trusts on arrangements to be made between trusts on individual healthcare practitioner's insurance liability when working on collaborative projects.
	NHS bodies are vicariously liable for the negligent acts (and omissions) of their employees made during the course of their employment. An individual practitioner operating under a contract of employment with an NHS trust is covered by the indemnity of that trust. The NHS Litigation Authority provides indemnity to trusts through the schemes that it administers on behalf of the Secretary of State. These schemes pool the costs of any loss of or damage to property and liabilities to third parties for loss, damage or injury arising out of the carrying out of an NHS body's functions.

Health: Disadvantaged

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to tackle health inequalities in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Health services in Scotland and Wales are a devolved matter. The following information refers only to England.
	Health inequalities are unacceptable, that is why the Government have introduced the most comprehensive programme ever seen in this country to address health them.
	A cross-government national health inequalities strategy, Tackling Health Inequalities: A Programme for Action, is in place to deliver the 2010 health inequalities target to narrow the gap in infant mortality, by social class, and life expectancy at birth, by geographical area. This is complemented by innovative programmes such as National Health Service Health Trainers, NHS Life Check, and Communities for Health that will examine new approaches, and are being implemented first in Spearhead areas—the local authority areas with the worst health and deprivation indicators, and the primary care trusts (PCTs) mapping to them.
	The Secretary of State announced last month that the Department will publish a comprehensive strategy in 2008 for reducing health inequalities that will address unjustified gaps in health status, fair access to NHS services for everyone and good outcomes of care for all.
	The NHS in England Operating Framework 2007-08 identified tackling health inequalities as a key priority for the NHS. Incentives for the NHS and local authorities have also been aligned to encourage partnership working to deliver the 2010 target, with health inequalities a mandatory target for Spearhead PCT local delivery plans for 2007-08, and for local authority local area agreements from 2007.
	The Department and the Association of Public Health Observatories have developed an interactive "Health Inequalities Intervention Tool". Launched in August 2007, and available from the London Health Observatory website, the Tool translates national modelling on what is driving the life expectancy gap into local area analysis.
	The "Review of the Health Inequalities Infant Mortality PSA Target, 2007", published earlier this year, will help improve further delivery of local services to vulnerable populations by working in partnership with local government and others. An implementation plan is on schedule for publication in autumn 2007.
	We have established national support teams on health inequalities and on tobacco control and smoking cessation that will disseminate best practice across Spearhead areas, and areas with high infant mortality rates, providing tailored, intensive, assistance to areas that face the biggest challenges in delivering the 2010 target.

Hepatitis

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many children and young people under the age of 16 years were diagnosed with hepatitis C in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many people over the age of 59 years were diagnosed with hepatitis C in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is shown in the following table. Data is only available by the under 15 age group.
	Hepatitis C laboratory reports, England and Wales, by age group, 2002 to 2006.
	
		
			   Under 15( 1)  Over 59 
			 2002 41 305 
			 2003 24 365 
			 2004 46 439 
			 2005 30 410 
			 2006 26 485 
			 (1) This excludes children under one year of age who are positive only by antibody testing, since this may be due to passively acquired maternal antibodies, present in the child during this period. The data may include a small number of children over the age of one year who have residual maternal antibody.   Note:  Data is based on laboratory reports to the HPA.   Source:  Health Protection Agency (HPA).

Influenza: Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to introduce screening for pandemic influenza infection at points of national border entry or exit in the event of an influenza pandemic; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Based on available health evidence about their likely effectiveness, there are no plans to impose either entry or exit screening in the United Kingdom in the event of an influenza pandemic. But if such screening were recommended by World Health Organization, or other countries impose requirements of this nature, we would need to consider our position on a case-by-case basis.

Influenza: Vaccination

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the take up by pensioners in Ribble Valley constituency of influenza vaccinations in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Flu vaccine uptake data was collected for the first time in those aged 65 and over from 2000. The percentage of those aged 65 and over who received a flu vaccine in East Lancashire Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Hyndburn and Ribble Valley PCT, for which data is available, are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   PCT  Percentage of those aged 65 and over who received flu vaccine 
			 2000 East Lancashire health authority 63 
			 2001 East Lancashire PCT health authority 65 
			 2002-03 Hyndburn and Ribble Valley PCT 65 
			 2003-04 Hyndburn and Ribble Valley PCT 66.4 
			 2004-05 Hyndburn and Ribble Valley PCT 70 
			 2005-06 Hyndburn and Ribble Valley PCT 72 
			 2006-07 East Lancashire PCT 73.9

Maternity Services: Manpower

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to ensure that primary care trusts implement recommended nursing levels in neo-natal units.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government set out their policy for neonatal services in the report of the Neonatal Intensive Care Services Expert Review Group, which was published in 2003. The report highlights the British Association of Perinatal Medicine standards, which recommend a qualified nursing staff to baby ratio of 1:1 for neonatal intensive care, 1:2 for high dependency care and 1:4 for special care.
	It is the responsibility of local national health service organisations to ensure that services have sufficient staff to deliver high quality and safe treatment.
	The Department has commissioned a 12-month study to improve information about local NHS staffing and service provision within paediatric and maternity services, including neonatal services.

NHS Modernisation Agency: Operating Costs

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the annual running costs were of the NHS Modernisation Agency were in each year since its inception; how many full-time employees the Agency has; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The NHS Modernisation Agency closed in 2005 as part of the review of arms length bodies.
	In 2003-04, the annual running cost was £229 million and the headcount was 842 whole-time equivalent.
	In 2004-05, the running cost was £218 million. The headcount reduced as the year progressed.

NHS Trusts: Loans

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the presentation entitled, Financial Regime, given at the Financial Management and Reporting Steering Group meeting on 23 March, to which trusts 13 loans  (a) are and  (b) were planned for 2007-08; and what the value of the loan planned is or was for each trust.

Ben Bradshaw: Cash support in the form of public dividend capital (PDC) was provided to 13 national health service trusts over the 2006-07 year end, pending the outcome of a review process in 2007-08. This process will set out the long term financing arrangements for these NHS trusts whilst maximising the level of cash support repaid to the Department.
	The 13 NHS trusts, and details of the amount of PDC that each received, are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Trust name  Value of PDC received (£000) 
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospital NHS Trust 46,000 
			 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 87,000 
			 Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust(1) 14,000 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 27,300 
			 Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 77,246 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 65,432 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 15,000 
			 Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust 56,400 
			 Royal Wolverhampton Hospital NHS Trust 21,000 
			 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 13,000 
			 University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 29,277 
			 West Middlesex University NHS Trust 17,000 
			 Weston Area Health NHS Trust 16,250 
			 Total 484,905 
			 (1 )Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust subsequently merged with Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust.

NHS: Finance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the presentation entitled Policy Costing Overview given at the Financial Management and Reporting Steering Group meeting on 23 March, 
	(1)  what arrangements for revenue challenge existed prior to his Department's restructuring exercise;
	(2)  what arrangements for policy costing existed prior to the drafting of the Policy Costing Handbook.

Ben Bradshaw: Policy branches typically work with analytical support staff to cost the impact of their policy developments. The Policy Costing Handbook brought together good practice that already existed within the Department, codifying it and presenting it in as a step-by-step process. Before it was issued some policy documents contained guidance on costing, for example "Policy Appraisal and Health" amended November 2004 contained a section on how to quantify resource costs and cost data sources.
	Prior to the Department's restructuring exercise, the sign-off by the finance director for all policies with significant financial implications had not been formally required. However finance in the majority of cases was typically consulted on revenue implications of policies, but did not have a dedicated team to scrutinise the costs.
	The majority of policy proposals are included in the Department's comprehensive spending review bids, typically every three years. The proposals are assessed and costs are examined in finance by a team of staff that compile the bid.

NHS: Procurement

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what improvements in procurement practices in the NHS his Department plans to make in order to achieve savings of £1 billion a year by 2011.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department is currently finalising delivery plans for improved efficiency to meet the requirements of the comprehensive spending review 2007 (CSR07). A value for money delivery agreement is due to be published in December following agreement with the Treasury. The Commercial Directorate is working closely with the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), the national health service Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) and the NHS procurement community to identify specific initiatives. All the work referred to above will help meet the £1 billion savings target in 2011.
	Over the last three years significant improvements have been established in NHS procurement practices. These include the establishment of Collaborative Procurement Hubs, the introduction of eProcurement technologies and leading edge procurement practices within NHS PASA. The OGC Procurement Capability Review planned for March 2008 will assist in reviewing, with the Department; capacity, capability and current practices thereby ensuring preparedness for delivery of efficiencies under CSR07.

Obesity

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how his Department measures obesity; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Obesity in adults is defined using Body Mass Index (BMI). It involves comparing weight to height by dividing the weight measurement, expressed in kilograms, by the square of the height, expressed in meters. Obesity is defined as a BMI greater or equal to 30.
	In children defining obesity is more difficult because they are growing, and so both their height and weight changes at the same time. In children, standard United Kingdom reference charts for weight relative to height are used which are age and gender specific.
	 Note:
	BMI is the internationally recognised standard for identifying overweight and obesity.

Patients: Allergies

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to reduce difficulties experienced by patients who are allergic to latex gloves.

Ann Keen: On 26 May 2005 the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) issued to all national health service organisations in England and Wales, via their safety alert broadcast system, guidance Protecting People with Allergy Associated with Latex which recommended that a comprehensive working policy on the use and purchasing of latex products be developed.
	The policy should include measures to:
	substitute, control or eliminate latex where appropriate and possible;
	ensure staff are aware of, and have access to, safe and effective latex-free alternatives;
	identify and protect sensitised patients; and
	raise awareness about latex sensitivity among patients and staff.
	They further recommended that this policy should be backed up by efficient management arrangements, and the policies audited and reviewed to check compliance. A deadline of January 2006 was given for all these actions to be completed.
	In addition, a website-based toolkit has been developed by the Health and Safety Executive, in partnership with the Department, the NPSA, the Latex Allergy Support Group, the National Association of Theatre Nurses, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the healthcare industry and other relevant bodies. This toolkit includes example policies and materials to help local NHS organisations raise awareness of latex allergy with both staff and patients.

Strokes: Health Services

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve stroke services in the NHS.

Ann Keen: Between 1996-97 and 2007-08, spending on the NHS has increased from £33 billion to just over £90 billion, representing an average annual increase in real terms of 6 per cent. The improvements seen in stroke services have undoubtedly benefited from these increases over the last 10 years.
	The National Service Framework (NSF) for long-term conditions was published in 2004 to improve the quality of life and independence for people with long-term neurological conditions. It set out general guidelines for a range of conditions, including stroke, to establish faster diagnosis, more rapid treatment and a comprehensive package of care based around individual patient needs.
	Prior to this the NSF for Older People, published in 2001, included a chapter on stroke services. It set out a range of measures to reduce the incidence of stroke and improve stroke treatment, which have led to a widespread development of services: the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) shows that all trusts caring for people who have had a stroke now have a specialist stroke service and 97 per cent. of hospitals in England now have a stroke unit, these were uncommon a decade ago. The audit also shows that in 2006, around two thirds of stroke patients were treated on a stroke unit. This is a significant improvement since 2004 when the figure was less than half. Length of stay in hospital for stroke patients is falling from 34 days in 2001 to 28 days in 2004. The results of the RCP audit also show that the proportion of trusts with a stroke unit meeting five or six of the audit's criteria has increased from 33 per cent. to 41 per cent. between 2004 and 2006.
	Stroke mortality is falling. For people under 65, the three year average death rate from stroke has fallen by 23 per cent. over the period from 1993-95 to 2002-04. For people aged 65-75 the death rate has dropped by 30 per cent. over the same period. We have made greater progress in reducing premature deaths from coronary heart disease than from stroke. This is because we have begun by focusing on coronary heart disease, the biggest killer in the country. However, because of the significant progress we have made in this area we are now able to redouble our efforts in addressing the challenge of stroke. This is why the Department launched a stroke strategy document for consultation on 9 July 2007. It followed an 18-month programme of work, setting out the views of six expert working groups who represented a wide range of key stakeholders. The strategy aims to accelerate the emergency response to stroke, by setting out a framework for care of stroke patients, and raising awareness about stroke symptoms and risk factors. It is due for publication by the end of 2007.
	In addition to developing the strategy, in 2006 the Department published 'Mending hearts and brains', a report by Professor Roger Boyle, the National Director for Heart and Stroke. The report makes the clinical case for reconfiguring stroke services. In particular, it emphasises the need to treat stroke as an emergency, including the delivery of thrombolysis at specialist centres and a possible 'hub and spoke' model for stroke services.
	Last year the Department also launched ASSET (Action on stroke services: an evaluation toolkit) to help health care providers compare their performance with others. It considers four aspects of acute treatment setting out how these mean fewer people experiencing death or disability, and more efficient hospital services with people able to return home faster. An additional version, ASSET 2, for commissioners has also been introduced which uses analytical modelling to advise hospitals and primary care trusts of what the impact of making specific changes to their services would be. We have also published a guide for commissioners, setting out key questions they need to consider and a series of best practice case studies.
	As well as helping to improve existing stroke services, the Department is investing £20 million over five years (2005-10) into the development of the UK Stroke Research Network.

Wirral Primary Care Trust: Personal Care Services, Chiropody

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the availability of nail cutting services in Wirral Primary Care Trust; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many patients received chiropody treatment in Wirral in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2001 and  (c) 1998.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 25 October 2007
	 I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 27 March 2007,  Official Re port , column 1191W.
	The NHS North West Strategic Health Authority reports that chiropody provision in Eastham has been relocated to the Treetops Surgery in Bromborough, and the capacity in Parkfield Medical Centre has been doubled in the new premises. From October 2007, the eligibility criteria for treatment in the former Bebington and West Wirral PCT area has been extended to include more vulnerable and elderly patients which has resulted in additional investment. This includes the recruitment of an additional podiatry post which has been funded and created to facilitate this and the Wirral Primary Care Trust is currently actively recruiting to this post. No chiropody clinics in the Wirral Primary Care Trust have closed within the last five years.
	Accurate information on the number of patients receiving chiropody treatment in the years requested is not available.